Eternal Night

Wow! Yes, that's the first word I choose to use for my review. This book is phenomenal. In fact, it's rather challenging to find the " just right" words to say. I could say that this book starts with a GOTCHA and ends with a BAM, or I could flip the script and totally reverse that. The elements in this book are so richly infused with depth and meaning. The characters are out of this world. I cannot imagine anyone not being enthralled by this work of fiction. Seriously!

Rating: 5/5 Recommend: Yes Bookshelf Worthy: Yes Hard copy vs Digital copy: HARD copy all the way!!! Worthy of Reread: Yes

A digital copy of this title was made available for review by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest critique.

This was a book that I definitely found intriguing. I loved the premise and I was pretty excited to get to it. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint.
There were some great characters. I especially loved Jude and his interactions with Lola. I really enjoyed getting everyone's side of the story. It kept it interesting, plus was a way to show the history of everyone instead of a rambling narrative.
The story was a bit of a slow burn, so it did take me a bit to get settled in. However, once that pivotal shift happened, it was a roller coaster. I found myself wanting more from whatever god's chapter I was just finishing with.
The only complaint [for lack of a better word] is that I wish we would have gotten an epilogue. The ending is hopeful and seemingly happy, but I would have liked something more concrete.
All in all, it was a unique story that kept me entertained. I look forward to reading more of Carina's stories.
**Huge thanks to Paper Lantern Lit and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

What if the ancient Gods did exist... and what if they're still alive, yet powerless after hundreds of years of nobody believing in them? Then you'd end up with this novel.

I especially loved the interactions between the handful of Gods left. Eons of interactions make for riffs that span centuries, missed opportunities and regrets over choices long-ago made. Part fantasy, part mystery, this novel is all page-turner.

I went into this book without any expectations. I honestly didn't even remember what the book summary was. Well, let me just say that Eternal Night gave me everything I needed and more! I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK! The plot was fast-paced and exciting with plenty of mystery. There is humor, romance, and UHHMAZING characters! Seriously, the characters were probably my favorite part about this book. I feel like I got to know each one so well. The chapters alternate between the six gods(main characters), and the story is in third person narration. I feel that this point of view worked extremely well for this book. The author really lets you in on each character's personal struggles, history, and inner workings. I just finished the book, and I already miss these guys. I feel like I knew these characters in real life, which is truly the mark of a great author.
I was immediately pulled right into the story from the first few pages, and it never let me out until the very end. Wait...scratch that...I'm still not out! I WANT MORE!! This book had so many great elements to it. Of course there is the awesome plot, but there is also a ton of deeper meaning that you get from this book. There are some really important life lessons in these pages...along with quite a bit of cursing(many f-bombs were dropped throughout), but I do think that it fit the characters and made sense for the story. I guess you will have to read it to see what I mean by that. Overall, I loved Eternal Night. It was exactly the kind of book I had been dying to read. It's a classic genre that gets a makeover, and looks beautifuly transformed afterwards. Then you are like, "Hey, did you do something different with your hair? I've NEVER seen you look this good!".
Trust me, this is one debut that you don't want to miss! I can't wait to read whatever Carina writes next!

Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. This in no way influenced my review, positively or negatively.

Eternal Night is a perfect blend of mythological gods and goddesses within a contemporary setting. The book focuses on the remaining six gods and goddesses who have basically lost their powers and now live on Earth among the mortals as regular people. Things seem to be going like the usually do, until the morning the paper reports an "angel" being found dead in a swimming pool at the top of the Jefferson Hotel. Right after that happens, the East River and the Hudson River turn blood red. The mythological friends gather to attempt to figure out what's happening. The truth is devastating - one of their own, a goddess named Nadia, was the "angel" who died in the pool. It now seems that an ancient prophecy detailing the end of the world is beginning to come true - and it's up to the the remaining gods to stop the prophecy before the darkness takes over forever.

I have to admit that I was immediately drawn to this book after reading the description. Then, after finding out that the author is a writer for "The Originals" show on The CW - which I LOVE - I knew I had to get my hands on it. I didn't really know what to expect but I did have high hopes for the book because of the premise and how much I love the tv show. I'm so happy to report that I was definitely not disappointed in the least. The book is full of so many layers - from varying points of view to mythological histories and relationships between everyone - that it kept me eagerly reading until I finished the book (in one sitting). The book is told in an unique way. It is separated first into days and within the "day" chapters, there are several different characters telling a part of the story from their point of view. For example, we have Day 1 - and within that section of the book we'll hear from Dean, Lola, and Nike. The story really varies between all of the gods, so we get to know each of them very personally by the end of the book. I loved each of the gods. They all had unique personalities with distinct traits and flaws - which actually matched up with the ancient gods they are descended from. I thought this angle was a great touch by the author and it seemed to authenticate the characters as both mythological gods and realistic people at the same time. We learn a lot about each of the characters - their histories, relationships with one another, issues they are having or have been dealing with - basically everything that you could want to know. I honestly came to love (or at least like) all of them before the end of the book and found myself feeling like I knew them and could empathize easily with them all.

The plot of the book is phenomenal and wholly original. The author mixes various "end of the world" prophecies and stories together to create the situations in the book. I loved that she pulled from different cultures and religions to make the prophecy and how things are carried out according to it. The writing was magnificent - I honestly couldn't believe that it's the author's debut novel. I felt immediately transported into the story from the first paragraph and it was like I was right beside all of the characters as the story unfolded. There was a great amount of detail along with vivid imagery and descriptions that made it seem authentic and natural. The pace of the story was fast - some parts had me reading so fast I was afraid I was going to miss something because I just had to know what was going to happen. Overall, this is one heck of a debut novel. It blends so many genres together - action, fantasy, mythology, adventure, dystopia, romance, and more - that I don't think you can really pin it down to one category. And it shouldn't be labeled as just one. The author did a terrific job entwining the genres, the characters with all their histories and their issues, and the impending doom of the planet, into a mesmerizing novel that makes the reader beg for more. I very highly recommend this one to fans of mythology and fantasies, along with those who want something fresh and new - an honestly unique and outstanding novel. I'll definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the author's next release.

Told from six different point of views (six gods, one point of view for each), ETERNAL NIGHT tells the story of what happens when the shadows rise up in an attempt to undo the light's victory.

Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike, Lola and Peitha are gods living among men. The lack of faith has taken their power from them but their immortality remains, allowing them to reinvent themselves every few years and live forever. But living together isn't as easy as it seems. Peitha's run off to Vegas and the other five remaining in New York City barely speak. But when one of their own, Nadia, is killed and plagues start cropping up around both NYC and the rest of the world, the six know they have to put their heads together to stop the world from ending.

This book is interesting for a lot of reasons, but my favorite reason is the way all of the gods mentioned come from different mythology. Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Roman... all are included. It's a very different take than I've seen in most of YA and I like it from a religious studies stand point. While all of these traditions are distinctive and separate, ETERNAL NIGHT highlights how similar ideals presented themselves in the different major societies. And since people no longer believe in the gods, causing the gods in this book to lose their powers, even more interesting points are being made. I definitely dig the depth here.

But ETERNAL NIGHT isn't all about depth. It's also about action. The gods are trying to stop whoever's summoning these plagues and keep them from ending everything and they only have a few days to do it. They're also busy dealing with their internal squabbling while simultaneously trying to keep the world from ending. I mean, this guy's not talking to that guy, she's run away from him, they're pretending everything is okay between them... It's typical drama but with years more background and complexity, given the immortality.

And then there's the romance. While there's an obvious way the puzzle pieces can fit together, this book keeps you guessing by throwing mortals into the mix, inserting LGBT relationships and asking more philosophical and psychological questions than one might not think to find in a YA paranormal romance.

However, none of these things are what make this story so addicting (although they definitely help). My underlying obsession with ETERNAL NIGHT is because it reads like a CW show. (This makes sense because Carina Adly MacKenzie writes for the CW.) And, let's be real, I either go all in or not at all with my CW shows. I kept picturing ETERNAL NIGHT in a setting similar to Arrow - dark and set in a corrupted town with explosions and disaster at every turn. And some steamy kissing and drama thrown in for added goodness. Basically, if ETERNAL NIGHT got turned into a TV show/mini-series thing, I'd watch it so fast and it's all I'd talk about for days.

Bottom line: This paranormal debut was exactly what I wanted. It's fast-paced, dramatic, swoony, gripping, thought-provoking and everything else I didn't even know I could have from a paranormal romance but will expect from now on. Carina Adly MacKenzie has set a bar for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next. (Side Note: I'd watch The Originals, but I haven't watched The Vampire Diaries, but winter is long and it is coming, so who knows?)

I loved this book! This book has six points of views, one from each of the Gods. It wasn’t confusing at all. It helped to know everyone’s perspective on what was happening. The book revolves around six main characters which includes Lola, Dean, Mark, Weston, Nike and Peitha who are all Gods. Most of them live in New York City among the mortals. When a girl is found dead in a roof top pool at a hotel all chaos breaks out.

The Gods and the City are faced with plagues that are taking over that they believe to be the chain reaction of the girl’s death. They soon figure out it is Nadia the Goddess of Hope. The Gods deal with a lot of conflict, love and tension once they find Nadia dead. Nadia was the last descendant of hope, without her they don’t know what will happen. However, they have to try and stop the world from going into eternal darkness by the demons they now face. This book has a lot of action and romance. There were a lot of dramatic twists and turns of events. The ending came as a surprise that I was not expecting. Over all, I thought the book was great and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read about mythology and fantasy.

There is only one way I can describe Eternal Night, and that is as Gossip Girl meets Revenge meets Percy Jackson. (I know, I wouldn't have been able to picture it before I read this book, either.) It’s a tense, glamourous and cinematic take on the classic apocalyptic scenario: the countdown to the end of the word has begun and there are only six people who stand a chance of saving it.

Mark, Nike, Lola, Dean, Weston and Peitha are relics of a different era: immortals no longer at the core of human devotion, hidden in the underground clubs, side streets and black-tie events of the twenty-first century. They make for such a strong cast, it’s impossible not to find a favourite character or three when you’re reading this book. Weston, a god of communication, masquerades as a singer-songwriter superstar with OCD issues. Dean, closely tied with Dionysus, the god of wine, has got a good heart and a serious drinking problem. Peitha was probably my least favourite character simply because her viewpoint is so detached from the others – she’s a kind of Daenerys Targaryen addition, starting out far away but clearly headed for the climactic battle, only less compelling and nowhere near as memorable. Thankfully, my favourite character by far was Lola. Feisty, optimistic and warm, she’s the kind of character who’ll be adored by every kind of reader.

And of course, romance is at the very heart of this book’s priorities. It's everywhere - there's even an LGBT romance - and it’s almost no surprise that I simply can’t choose between my favourite romantic storylines here. Mark and Nike are absolutely brilliant together. A god of war and the goddess of victory? It’s fantastic! They have real history and their relationship is tense and passionate – each is as strong and stubborn as the other – as well as tender and genuine – it’s clear that nobody understands them the way they understand each other. Lola and Jude, on the other hand, are sweeter and more cautious, yet there’s chemistry and humour there, too. I found myself rooting for them right from the beginning.

Unfortunately, one of the issues I had with the book stemmed from MacKenzie’s characterisation and treatment of Jude. In a way, he answers the call for more diversity in books as he’s blind and shows that characters with disabilities can be just as engaging and crush-worthy as able-bodied characters. Yet the way he’s written by MacKenzie speaks of inaccuracy, lack of realism, little or no research, and let’s face it, laziness. There are several instances where he’s described as responding to Lola’s facial expressions or movements, even when she’s not talking and he’s on the other side of the room. Um, what? I have no problem with characters being perceptive but that’s just ridiculous. And, as always when a blind character becomes involved with mythology, he’s given psychic ‘second sight’ powers. Could you be any more predictable? Isn’t there any other way for someone with visual impairment to be involved with a high stakes action story, or must authors forever resort to frankly sickening clichés? This also applies to instances of misogyny in the book and the writing style, which was full of brand names and just didn’t feel as original as the book’s premise warranted.

Speaking of high stakes, I think it’s important to mention that the plot of Eternal Night is occasionally a little threadbare. It may have something to do with the fact that the characters continue to attend parties and agonise over their beautiful clothes even when the world is ending right outside the window. However, what little plot does exist is excellent and totally electrifying; the pieces fall into place like a puzzle. I read the book in one sitting and I can’t wait to read more from the series.

In short: Eternal Night is one of the most sensational books I’ve read all year. It’s dramatic, stylish and utterly addictive. It wasn’t perfect but it gets a really high four stars from me.

I’ll try not to reveal too much except to say that it was nothing of what I expected. The author takes the Greek mythology we’re familiar with and juxtaposes it against our modern era. This is no longer a world that fears all those mighty or vengeful gods. This is a new world where people worship money, technology, fame and addiction. Ancient beliefs no longer apply and because of this the old gods have watched their powers wane through the centuries. What can the gods do except try to fit in?

Now I don’t normally do well with multiple points of view because I find them too distracting and I’m rather impatient about waiting for things to tie in. I didn’t face that here because Eternal Night begins with a central event – the mysterious death of one of the gods – and the individual storylines branch off and converge regularly.

I was quite taken with how very human each of the gods is – one makes jewelry, one makes music, one is in law school. They also have very real human emotions like jealousy, depression and anxiety. There’s definitely a nice pace between setting up each god’s viewpoint, back story and how they've come to where they are in their lives. The other common thing between them aside from the fact that their powers have grown weaker, is that they’re all feeling out of place and disenchanted. They don’t necessarily long for the days when they were worshiped by throngs of mortals. They simply want to feel connected to something. This whole immortality thing has made them feel isolated and empty to the point where they try to find solace in the wrong things. As for the gods themselves, I liked all of them but one in particular, Weston, is probably my favourite. There's something rather delicate about his nature and his compulsions fascinated me. I was able to key in on why he was doing those things and liked how he came to address them. Anyway, you’ll understand why I like him when you read this.

Despite their individual and often entangled issues, they do work well together to solve the mystery of their friend’s death. If anything, having something this urgent to work on together as a team brings them closer to each other than they’ve been in ages. And that’s no exaggeration. They become a unified front against what threatens them.

If it’s any indication as to how much I liked Eternal Night, I read it in one sitting. So please do pick it up and enjoy!