Book was good, I liked the novelty of the kitsune being in Appalachia. But it didn't hook me. The religious undertones felt a little heavy handed at times, that could be why. I am intrigued by the idea of the haunted souls being described, and the good kitsune and bad kitsune idea. And the eating of a souls energy. Maybe if the book wasn't a cliffhanger and I could see the end result I would have enjoyed it more. I'm sure that there will be an audience who will adore this book and it will resonate with them. But not me. I'd still probably read the sequel though if it was free or on kindle unlimited, mainly because I hate walking away from any book series I start without finishing it.

Love this book! Awesome new adventure with twisted and shocking parts that leaves you speechless. In the beginning everything is playing out it's kind of a lot, when you get to the middle of the book it helps you understand more of what's going on but towards the end you're so immersed. I absolutely want the second book like now! The ending was intense and I didn't want it to end. I read the whole book in one day!

A Black and Solemn Silence is Danielle Thompson's debut novel and the first novel in the Color By Numbers series. I would describe it to be a delightful mix of cozy fantasy, romantasy and perhaps fantasy crime.

Kuro has messed up: A human managed to take a picture of him. Kuro is a shape-shifting kitsune, or a fox demon, who feeds on the emotions that human souls produce. He's been living a quiet life in a forest with Jaden, another kitsune that he considers his brother. But if that photograph gets out, their quiet life will be over. Within his haste, Kuro accidentally trespasses on a young woman's property. Soon the photograph becomes least of Kuro's problems. There's something peculiar about the woman's soul, and soon Kuro finds himself trapped in a new, frightening situation, and he'll be forced to make a change: one way or the other.

I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

OVERVIEW
This story was beautiful. I loved to watch Kuro grow and adapt and try to find a balance between being a fox and being a human. I think, above all, this was a story about growth and learning acceptance.

PLOT
The plot was quite generic and didn't offer a ton of surprises, but that actually worked quite well for the story. There was more space for the author to focus on growing the characters and the relationships between them (AKA the important stuff). There were some action scenes as well, though, and I honestly had NO IDEA what was going to happen next, which kept me turning the pages all day. (figuratively, since I read an ebook.)

CHARACTERS
I loved Kuro. He was so sweet and sort of vulnerable throughout the book. I felt like he had to suffer a lot in this book, so I hope we'll get to see him be happy in the next ones. The most fascinating character I thought was Jaden: I never fully knew what he was up to, but in the end, all his decisions made a certain amount of sense. And the relationship between Kuro and Jaden? GOLD.

FLAWS?
There really wasn't much to improve here. At times some small style things bothered me (I felt like there was a bit too much ellips used, etc.) Also, I fell IN LOVE with the way the author described the settings. (There was this one scene where she described a vegetable garden... I felt immersed). Adored to read, and I definitely would have liked more setting descriptions, because I felt like there weren't quite enough.

BEST?
I really adored the descriptions in this book. Whether it was emotions or settings or events, it was wonderful. (And of course, the cover is one of the prettiest I've seen in a while.)

All together I would say that this was a great novel, especially for a debut. I predict a very bright future for the Color by Numbers series.

This was pretty interesting. I enjoyed reading the book, but there was something that wasn't hitting right for me. I liked the kitsune mythology. I'm definitely into mythological creatures and foxes, so kitsunes are extremely fascinating.

I'm curious to see how Kuro and Jaden's relationship evolves. Kuro is fairly simple enjoying the beauty and the comfort of the forest, spending hours watching a spider weave its web. On the other hand, Jaden is restless and yearns for a busier lifestyle. Their relationship up until the events of this book is one where Kuro naively does his own thing and ignores the violent/sociopathic behavior of Jaden. I wish Jaden's character had been fleshed out a little more. Right now he just seems like a flat psychopath, so I hope he gets more nuanced.

I thought Kuro and Caroline's relationship was interesting enough to where I want to know how they end up, but the romance in Book 1 is pretty light.

There were several POVs, but I think they could have been utilized better. Other than Kuro and Caroline, it felt like everyone else was just underdeveloped. Knowing this series is complete, I have a feeling that they become more developed in later books.

Overall: I'm interested enough to continue the series and find out what happens to our friends Kuro and Jaden.

I honestly did a double take about 5% into this book thinking, "what the heck have I picked up?!?!?!?" The story jumps right in with action, there is no time to prepare, adjust, get ready. Immediately the reader is sucked into a strange world, that is our world but not our world.

This story is about the Kitsunu, and one in particular. And for anyone unsure exactly what the kitsunu is - apart from understanding they are shapeshifters - this is from Japanese legend, and they are spirits; specifically evil. However, even not knowing the specifics of kitsunu you pick it up very early in the book, in fact by 15% you understand that this being is certainly NOT in any fashion human, is in fact innately not good (a bend towards evilness) in that they can "touch" the human soul and feed off fear, guilt, shame. Yet emotions like faith, love, mercy, ect will burn them. This I found slightly creepy and honestly unnerving as it lines up very much with Christian beliefs of demon activity.

I honestly have never read a book like this at all.....am I disappointed to have picked it up? Absolutely not. To be honest this is one of those books that you pick up, get shocked by, think maybe you don't want to read it while knowing you have to read it because you just have to know more, you just have to know the ending. The writing is beautiful. It is complex and simple at the same time; exploring complex themes of human emotions, what makes humans human and even the complexities of right and wrong and the fluid nature of the moral compass. Can a demon turn good? Can the goodness in a human soul reach out and touch and change the soul of a kitsunu?

Great read -

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and freely given review

The writing was pretty good, and the story flowed nicely. So, over all, this was a solid read. The story constantly leaves you with this curious feeling of wanting to know more about these characters. Hence, the story is easy to read and get through.

However, there were a few aspects in which the book was lacking, in my opinion. First of all, I didn't really feel connected to the characters. I felt like I didn't quite know enough about the characters to form an opinion on whether or not I liked them. So while the absence of information about the characters definitely leaves you wondering, it was also a hindrance at times. Second of all, the storyline in itself wasn't exciting enough for me. It didn't really build up to a climax, and I wasn't invested in the events that were going on.

I have been provided with a review copy of this title from NetGalley for an impartial review. This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

This had everything that I was hoping for in a paranormal romance. It was a strong start to the Color by Numbers series. The characters felt like they were supposed to and I enjoyed the use of enemies to lovers element. The characters felt like they were supposed to in this universe. I'm glad i got to read this and can't wait for more in this series. Danielle Thompson has a great writing style and I wanted to read more.

4.5 Stars

This was such a rich, darkly seductive story and I’m excited for the follow up - especially after that cliffhanger!

I loved the use of folklore and the really interesting relationship dynamics at play.

No spoilers, but A Dark and Solemn Silence follows Kuro and Jaden, two Kitsune who live in the forests not too far from the city. With a string of grisly murders and police investigations, Kuro is injured and has to rely on help from an unlikely place.

**Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for proving me with an ARC in exchange for my review**

final rating: 3.25/5☆

thank you to netgalley and the author Danielle Thompson for the e-arc!

i'm not very sure how i felt about this. maybe because it's just the first book in a series and more will be discovered later on, but i felt it was a little out of place to see two kitsune of japanese mythology in such a western environment. and it could have been a little less odd if there was a community of them, but having just two (so far) made me a little out of sorts. however, i applaud Danielle Thompson for her wonderful use of povs to show very different sides of the story — we have our slightly sheltered protagonist Kuro, his 'bestie' Jaden and that of our human side from Kenneth, Jacqueline and Eric.

(spoilers ahead)

i have absolutely no problem with most of our characters. however, it felt like our main cast of Kuro, Jaden and Caroline should have been a little older than just in their early twenties (that's basically a baby kitsune!). the way they're written is very mature, they make big decisions and have a lot of big feelings that i can't relate to at this age. yet, with Kenneth and co in the same age bracket, i can see where they're coming from most of the time, a little dumb but they act just a little self important enough and actually know what they're doing sometimes. but the others? adulting kitsune problems, big issues.

and Jaden just didn't really work as a character for me. i understand trying to paint him as a morally grey character who, while has violent tendencies, truly cares for his pseudo brother Kuro (ie the hot chocolate incident). but throughout the book, all i see is a very hotblooded murderer with lots of bloodlust who thrives with that, and doesn't care how low he stoops to satisfy himself, ESPECIALLY with how he's stalking Jacqueline for her soul. brave girl for dealing with that gracefully. and the ending of book 1??? a villain works. i can like a villain. but Jaden is such a (excuse me) colour by numbers villain that i didn't like him.

still, very intrigued to see how the story unfolds in the sequel.

3.5⭐ rounded up! Overall pretty enjoyable and definitely well-written from a paragraph-by-paragraph standpoint, but I had some issues with the higher level character development and pacing/plot.

I'll start by saying, I know that this author's writing style will not be for everyone. While I always appreciate when the style feels unique and I personally am a fan of it in this book, I'm sure some would find it a bit dense or overly detailed. I do feel the prose, while beautiful in places, got a little TOO repetitive and lingered on things too long in some areas – but overall I think it's mostly a stylistic choice and will come down to reader preference.

What I enjoyed: I absolutely loved that this was a paranormal romance that focused in on kitsune ("demon" foxes from Japanese folklore). I can't say I've read a book yet that incorporated kitsune so this felt new and intriguing. I also generally enjoyed Kuro and Caroline's characters and relationship because they each went through some growth and had much deeper development and connection, unlike the other characters. They were really the best part of this book to me. Like I mentioned above, I also appreciated the unique writing style and felt the book was well-written from page-to-page.

What didn't work for me: I feel like the Kuro-Jaden relationship could've been executed better, like a Stefan-Damon Salvatore type thing (Vampire Diaries) but less cheesy. Unfortunately, Jaden was flat and didn't have any vulnerable moments. My main issue overall, though, was that not enough happened and the reader/characters leave the book knowing almost as little as they started it with. Now, I'm all for books having smaller scopes if it means the author really gives depth to everything in a way that moves you, but that didn't happen here for me other than with Kuro and Caroline. Instead, it felt like the pace and plot were drawn out with not enough reward. One thing that I think made this worse was the hopping around of POVs – In a book that's relatively short, trying to address so many POVs is bound to leave characters underdeveloped and make the plot a little convoluted and spotty.

Overall, I'm excited to see what this author does next, although I'm torn on whether I'll continue this particular series. While it did end on a cliffhanger, I feel like not enough happened to be invested in what comes next. I do think this book is worth reading and deciding for yourself, though, if you enjoy slow burn romance, Japanese folklore, and a more detailed writing style.

This is a new to me author, and blurb and cover both interested me. Although a bit different from what I usually read, I really enjoyed it. It’s beautifully written, the story is intriguing, and, I think, it’s very rare to find fiction with kitsunes. A very positive surprise. 🤗

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ARC REVIEW

In a nutshell: kitsunes, character driven, slightly spooky, intriguing.

If you like your reads to be cosy BUT also slightly unsettling and spooky, I recommend this with my whole heart.

I was sucked into this book completely from the first page. The story is rich, captivating and intricately wound.

Each of the four POVs are tied together so well that I never felt the usual exhaustion of getting really into a storyline to be immediately thrown out at the next chapter. I was equally excited for each perspective, and loved how immediately I connected with the characters.

Kuro, arguably our main character, is written exactly how a wild animal-turned-human would be: slightly childlike, curious and a wee bit feral. Jaden, our antagonist, is a truly terrifying force to read about (TW for brutal murders thanks to him!) Their brotherhood was really intriguing and written incredible well, you both sympathise with and want to shake Kuro a lot of the time.

Our secondary characters, Caroline, Kenneth & Jaqueline were equally as interesting to read about and I can’t wait to have more of them in the next book!

My thoughts would stray back to the book throughout the day, making me feel like I was living between the pages even when I wasn’t reading.

I will definitely be picking up the next one.

Some of my favourite quotes.
💬 He resigned himself to wait patiently to pass out from blood loss and then, with any luck, the indifferent embrace of death would follow.
💬 Oh, he had thought, sickened by the confirmation of his own worthlessness and the sense of a privilege he didn’t deserve and hadn’t earned. That makes more sense.
💬 She was feeling the simplistic happiness of a day ending, the quiet comfort that comes with routine, of having a home to care for, a place to love.

| eARC received via Netgalley |

What an interesting read :)
Not my usual reading preference but... wow.
The prose dude. It's captivating. The plot was great. A bit complex, but it's easy to follow. Goes to show that Danielle Thompson is a good writer. I admit I got attached to the characters, especially Kuro. I liked his overall characterization, especially his ways of dealing with his internal struggles throughout the story. I'm hoping that in the next book though, we get to know more of his background story as it'll surely help the story's development further.

Thank you Danielle Thompson, Netgalley, and IBPA for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC for A Black and Solemn Silence :D

First thank you netgalley for the chance to read this advanced readers copy.

The book is said to be a paranormal slow-burn, enemies to lovers romance. While I do agree it is a slow-burn, romance really took a back seat. I'm hoping the next book will offer more romance for its readers. The book was well written, dark and gory. I really liked the concept of the story; it gave a soul-ties vibe.

My only critique is the pacing was all over the place. It felt rushed and sometimes repetitive. I did enjoy the growth of the characters, specifically Kuro, but there still remains a lot a mystery surrounding him and Jaden. Overall, I feel this book has an audience, but I may not be it.

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book! First of all I really liked Kuro as a character and his internal conflict through the whole book, I think it was difficult to see which side he would morally end up on and I really enjoyed that. I thought that the story moving through the perspective of not only Kuro but Kenneth and Jaqueline made things more interesting and gave us fresh knowledge on certain things, feel like some parts became slightly receptive, especially with the whole “this is what your soul feels like etc etc..” I don’t think we needed this explaining for every character but apart from that I enjoyed the plot, I like the string of crime that was sweeping throughout and how this tied in with each person

The writing was gorgeous and the characters were intriguing. Unfortunately, it just didn't click with me, but I'm sure the book will absolutely find it's audience.

I loved this book! It was beautifully written so it was easy to read.
The characters were lovable and I was rapidly attached to Kuro, the main character. He was written in a way that made me feel truly for him and what was happening to him.
The only thing that bugged me was the pace which was maybe a bit fast and at times I was lost at where the characters were and how much time had passed during the time skip or change of chapters.
other than that I loved the story and how unique it was. I had never read a book centred on kitsune before so it was cool!

I want to thank NetGalley for this opportunity!

In "A Black and Solemn Silence" by Danielle Thompson, two enigmatic shape-shifting kitsune, Kuro and Jaden, find themselves embroiled in a perilous journey of secrets, sacrifice, and the tenuous balance between their true selves and the world's expectations. Kuro, a solitary and enigmatic figure, is content with the tranquility of the mountains until his past resurfaces, threatening to unravel his peaceful existence. Jaden, a demon with sinister intentions, becomes his unwitting ally, drawing him into a dangerous dance of violence and deception. As they venture into the unfamiliar realm of Asheville, their presence triggers a chain of events that entangles them in a web of secrets. Caroline Lahey, a police secretary, becomes an unwitting observer of Kuro's true nature, setting in motion a series of confrontations and moral dilemmas. Kuro's struggle to maintain his self-control intensifies as Jaden's influence threatens to consume him, testing the boundaries of his own humanity. Thompson deftly weaves a narrative that explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of one's choices. Kuro's journey of self-discovery and moral growth is paralleled by Caroline's own struggles with duty and compassion. The novel's evocative prose and immersive world-building transport the reader into a realm where the lines between good and evil blur, and the search for redemption becomes a perilous quest.

A black and Solemn Silence is an extremely well-written story that is both complex but easy to follow along and enjoy. I loved the depth of the story and its characters. It has the perfect amount of fantasy and is not too heavy on romance. The only thing I didn’t like was the cliffhanger! I can’t wait for book 2!