Book Review: Dark Beauty

Dark Beauty (Seeker 0.5)

By: Taryn Browning

Published By: CreateSpace

Publication Date: July 2011

Page Count: 54

Buy it at Amazon 

Source: Provided by Author

Audience: Young Adult - Paranormal

Dark Beauty is the prequel to the new Seeker series written by Taryn Browning. It's intent is to provide just a small taste of Browning's writing and what readers can expect from the world of the Seekers. It sparked my literary appetite and I am excited to read the forthcoming series. The first installment, Dark Seeker, is already available. 

Browning has shifted the lens in vampire novels to focus on the hunters rather than the creatures themselves. So many YA novels lately have painted the vampire as a sympathetic, romantic creature so it was refreshing to see someone go back to the basics and cast them in the role of villain once more. While Browning does stick to traditional vampire lore - the sun is a major enemy, stakes, etc. - she does introduce an interesting new breed of vampire, the Daychildren. The Daychildren are demons who have been converted to vampires; they are immune to the effects of the sun and often have special abilities such as telekinesis and mind reading. Conflict between the Seekers and both the vampires and Daychildren is introduced in this segment. I am interested to see how the conflict will play out in future books.

Finally, I really like Isabelle. She is smart, sassy, and knows how to kick a little vampire booty. She is a whirlwind of energy and comes with a Cherokee heritage and some killer martial arts moves. The diversity elements make this one an intriguing read. If you liked Buffy, you'll love Isabelle.

One Last Gripe: I wish there had been a bit more character development, but I am expecting that to come with the full length novels in the series.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The combination of demons and vampires

First Sentence: Lesson three of Seeker training - always be prepared.

Favorite Character: Isabelle

Least Favorite Character: It was too short to truly feel intense dislike for any of the characters.

Summary:

For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.