This is a truly Gothic tale, intriguing, suspenseful and tragic.

Amelia puts her dreams of Cairo on hold to help her brother Colin, who is set to undergo an experimental surgery, which was their father's last directive.

Graham is a doctor who convinces Dr. Peckwood to take him on as a partner, and soon becomes involved in Colin's case, and by extension Amelia. Although Graham and Amelia's relationship is one we see growing through the story, there are other dichotomies driving conflict: the Balfours' father and his influence even after death, Peckwood and his lack of regard for others, Graham's will to do what's best, and the siblings' regard for each other. For every dark part, there's a light one that prevails in the end, if not in justice at least in grace.

It drew a sort of anxiety from me, knowing what was partly coming, and knowing Amelia and Graham would be unable to help Colin.

It goes without saying the superb writing and masterful use of imagery and language.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

If you're looking for an eerie feeling, Frankenstein inspired tale to curl up with this Autumn, look no further. Michelle Griep seemingly effortlessly captures the spirit of the season in Lost in Darkness and whisks readers away into the world she has created within her novel.

Oh wow! What a book! Once I started reading, I did not want to put this down! This story is told by three people, Graham has been a ship's doctor for many years, and he becomes a partner with a well known surgeon. Amelia is a travel writer, writing about her journeys to different places. she has a younger brother, whom she loves dearly, that has a disease that has caused his face to be misshapen, and he has scars from burns he suffered as a small child. Considered a monster by most, Colin hides away so nobody can see him, Their father has recently passed, but before he did he had arranged for a surgery for Colin, to help his deformity. In the hopes that this surgery will help him, Amelia encourages him to have it, and Graham gets to know these siblings well, and he discovers many questionable things about his partner that make him wonder what this doctor's ultimate goals are. Excellent story until the finish! Wonderfully written!

This dark gothic tale is clean and doesn't cross over into horror, which is a genre I will not do. I think it's brilliant. This is the "real" story that inspired the fictional Frankenstein. Very clever concept, and very well written. This book may end up becoming Michelle Griep's finest work.

Lost in Darkness

There are no spoilers in this review. Spoiler free zone!

-Tags: Eerie, Dark, Frankenstein, London, Romance, Regency, Foggy, Atmospheric.
-Author: Michelle Griep
-Overall: 5/5, 8/10
-Plots and storyline: 4.5/5
-Characters: 5/5
-Would I reread? Yes!
-Would I recommend? Yes!
-Reading time for me: A couple days due to school.
-Short and sweet: This was a pleasant surprise! Not in the sense of being surprised at how good it was, because I knew that Michelle Griep couldn’t go wrong with her talent and a Frankenstein story, but in the sense of how much this book went against the typical, cliche Christian fiction book.
-One word review: Brilliant!

Frankenstein meets Beauty and The Beast

This one was a hit. I had read The Thief Of Blackfriars Lane and instantly fell in love, so as soon as I saw this, I knew it’d be great too! I think my favorite thing about this book, if I had to pick, would be how pleasantly unpredictable it was! It went against every normal book in this genre.

First off, religion. It wasn’t overbearing, but it glorified God in every way possible. I really appreciate that the main characters were ordinary, everyday people. Not perfect, nor did they stand apart from others, besides the plot around Colin, of course. They were relatable, and people that I could root for. So bravo for that!

I also love the fact that God doesn’t talk directly to the characters. I hate to say this, but I can’t stand the fact that nearly every new YA Christian fiction book has the “Creator” that directly thought-talks to “The Chosen One” whenever he or she asks God for direction, or even when they don’t ask. Lost in Darkness proved that you can still have God’s guidance in everything without having “a voice” in your head that tells you what’s coming. The characters, even with their broken faith, always came back to the actual Word of God, not just asking God for something and then poof! You get an instant response.

So, the characters. Just brilliant! I’m just going to leave it at that.

This story, guys. It’s epic. It’s unpredictable. In the end I was shocked at what happened! It was a truly creative tale filled with intrigue and danger, and bits of humor spread out.

Can I just take a minute to admire that lovely cover? Moment of silence, please. I’d definitely say it’s worth a District 12 hand sign of respect from Hunger Games. (If you don’t know what that is, then you have a sad life.)

And lastly, the writing. It was so...flowy. It had such a pretty ring to it, almost like a lullaby. It just fit perfectly into the setting (another awesome thing about this book!) by the style. If it’s meant to be gloomy at a scene, it’s certainly gloomy simply by the poetic nature of Miss Michelle’s words. I’m jealous that she has such great talent when it comes to writing!

And so, I’ll leave you with...drumroll please...quotes! Of course! Just a taste of the beautiful language used…

“‘Are you an avid reader of obscurity, then?’
‘I’m an avid reader, period.’”

“Hazel eyes stared into her own, more brown than green at the moment...He was not handsome per se, not in a worldly sense. Nothing about him smacked style or refinement. Yet he was not altogether unpleasing to the eye and, in truth, was attractive in an earthy sort of way.”

I just must add here, I loved how Lambert was not described as a super attractive person as far as looks, but had a wonderful personality! ^^

“‘Normal is but a state of mind, Sister.’”

“‘Grief is a strange thing, Miss Mims. Sometimes it’s shy. Quiet. Crouching in a shadowy corner so that you don’t even know it’s there. Other times it attacks like a thick, damp pneumonia, smothering the life from you. Most of the time though—and this is the worst, mind—sorrow is a grey man, hanging off your arm like a needy old uncle you wish to tell to go away, but you know your words will be wasted. He won’t leave. He has nowhere else to go...So you give in. Shut yourself away with him. Dine with the grey man every blessed night and greet him the moment your eyes flutter open in the morning. Before you know it, years have passed. Many, many years. And one day you look at the old hag in the mirror and wonder why you wasted your life on the bones of someone who’d been buried decades ago.’”

“Time did heal wounds, but not scars. Never scars.”

So what are you waiting for? Go read it! Don’t worry, as soon as it releases, I’ll get my own paperback ;)

Acknowledgments and disclaimers:
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley, the publisher, and the author—thank you!! The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I was not asked or required to write a positive review.

4 stars- I have read many of Michelle’s books and she always does a great job of weaving a thrilling story, whether it’s a comedy or a drama. “Into the Darkness” draws you in and takes you on an intriguing story filled with romance, a bit of mystery and lots of foreboding. I read this book in a matter of days because I wanted to see what would happen next.
On the flip side I also struggled with this book, not because it was poorly written but because I sensed what was to come for the characters. Living in the 21st century, with the understanding of modern day medicine and science, I find it hard at times to read stories set long ago when medical knowledge was minimal. Even though I remind myself that the characters don’t know any better, I still cringe at their choices. I often get anxious for the characters in the story, knowing what is likely to happen based on their lack of medical knowledge. But maybe this is what constitutes a good story, when I am so attached to the characters that it matters to me what happens to them.
This is a great read for a foggy night by the fire. It’s even inspired me to read “Frankenstein” and learn more about Mary Shelley. I always look forward to Michelle’s latest book, knowing I am in for a good tale. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 3
Plot development: 3
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 3
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

LOST IN DARKNESS by MICHELLE GRIEP is the heart wrenching story of Colin Balfour, a terrifying monster to look at but with a heart of gold, and his beautiful, devoted, older sister Amelia, who longs for him to be able to come out of hiding and live a normal life. Their father was overbearing and unloving and left instructions in his will for the unconventional surgeon, Mr Peckwood, to operate on his son’s brain in order to make him look normal.
Graham Lambert, a former ship’s surgeon, has become Peckwood’s partner and assistant, and as such does his best to alleviate the pain caused by the painful procedures he has to perform on Colin every day. Graham has become very close to his patient and to Colin’s sister Amelia. The day of the operation dawns at last…and I will leave you there for fear of spoiling things for you!
I like the author’s portrayal of the characters - Amelia, the successful author of travel articles with her superstitions and her need to appear perfect, Colin with his loving heart and strong faith in God, Graham with his compassion and growing faith, and the rather strange and frightening Mr Peckwood, to name a few.
Taking place in England in 1815, there is a decided Gothic atmosphere in the novel, with strange people, strange occurrences, hallucinations, monsters and dark intrigue.
I found Lost In Darkness fascinating and highly recommend it for the great story, well defined characters and strong Christian message.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep is an amazing historical fiction that has every element: history, mystery, intrigue, romance, and an eerie element that really kept me coming back for more.

I have been a fan of Ms. Griep’s for a while now so sign me up for any book she writes!

I love this gothic, atmospheric, eerie, yet realistic historical fiction. Set in the Regency period, this story takes us into some of the darker corners of family, reality, fiction, truth, obligations, societal roles, and the author mixes it perfectly with hope, faith, trust, humanity, and loyalty.

It was gripping, it was suspenseful, it was fascinating. I loved the character cast and I especially loved Amelia and Graham. Perfectly complex and realistic characters that really fit the story. I loved it.

Home run.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Barbour Fiction for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting this through NG only and will post it to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon/closer to publication per Publisher request.

#lostindarkness #netgalley

Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book was very reminiscent of a frankenstein type storyline. It pulled at my heart strings and had adventure. I enjoyed it very much.

Let me preface this review by stating that some time ago I went through a gothic historical fiction reading phase. Books like "The Monk" and "The Castle of Otranto" comprised my reading diet. Fortunately there are no evil monks or giant falling helmets here.

While Michelle Griep's "Lost in Darkness" is distinctly gothic with a clear nod to "Frankenstein", there is a romance as well. Amelia Balfour returns home after years away to care for her disfigured brother Colin, whose affliction was apparent to me, although it's not mentioned by name until late in the novel.

Characters are well-developed, from the mild-mannered, intelligent Colin to the creepy mad scientist doctor Uriah Peckwood, whose experiments are unconventional and lead to unexpected results. The romance between Amelia and Graham Lambert is sweet and satisfying, although it does not take center stage. The eccentric neighbor Mrs. Ophidian, with her odd attachment to her feathered friends, proves to be surprisingly astute. She injects a bit of humor in this serious novel. Mary Shelley (née Godwin) makes an appearance. Secondary characters are appealing.

Melancholic, heartbreaking, or romantic by turns, "Lost in Darkness" has a more religious tone than most of Griep's works. Amelia thinks she knows best, while Peckwood takes his "God complex" to a whole new level. As always, Griep's prose is stellar.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this engrossing novel.

This slightly spooky story intrigued me, kept me turning (virtual) pages, made me laugh, and even made me cry a little. I felt for Colin in his difficult situation, and I enjoyed following Amelia and Graham as they grew closer to God and each other. I've really liked the other three books I've read by Michelle Griep, so I shouldn't be surprised I liked this one too!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!