I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this way more than I did because I loved the premise.

The urban fantasy storyline worked for me. A changing world with failure of tech and the beginning rise of magic, a group of people trying to survive in the new world--all good. What didn't work for me was the romance angle.

Let me comment on Mason first. I really don't care for the tortured hero love interest--ugh. It just seems dated; that is my bias so I tried to look past that to the elements of the relationship as far as romance. We never see any real reason why these two cared about each other. There is no real dialogue or getting to know each other nor is there a significant passage of time to account for it.

Because of this I spent way too much time rolling my eyes (one fell out, lol) or yelling "give or a break" or the ever popular "Really?" You can check out my Kindle highlight/outbursts comment here: https://kindle.amazon.com/profile/Jesslyn-Hendrix/665.

Another issue with the romance was that it seemed like the romance was forced in. The story would be rolling along and then the characters would engage in some badly timed kissing or sex. I'm assuming this was to illustrate how great their passion for each other was, but it didn't work for me.

NON PLOT SPOILER
I shit you not, at one point, they were trekking through the woods filled with zombie wolves and stopped to have a passionate argument followed by some kissing. If it had been a book instead of my Kindle, book would have met wall.

This book was a collaboration between Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty which I found out after I finished, and it felt like it. I don't know how they divided the work, but it felt like one did the PNR and one the UF.

Despite that rant, there were elements that I liked and I will probably get the upcoming books in this series (AFTER I Kindle sample them). I LOVED the fact that this was a complete story with no cliffhanger ending. I am also intrigued enough by the magic aspects and how it will develop in the future books with the passage of time.

The next book is three years after the event in Nightfall and the third book takes place twelve years later. That is absolutely brilliant thinking and give the writers huge leeway in world building.

I would recommend this book to PNR fans and give it a solid C. ( )

This book didn't fall neatly into any category. I consider it mostly a post apocalyptic and survival story wrapped around a romance. The world surely does end but in a manner different from any seen before. Dark things are abroad in the changing world. The tension level is high. The story revolves around John and Jenna and their escape from the city and struggle to survive the ravening beasts in the wilderness and understand the rules of the new world. The hero and heroine are both well drawn. They start out with John protecting Jenna because of a promise he made to her father and Jenna hanging with John as her best bet to survive. They each bring elements to their partnership that the other needs. Slowly their feelings deepen.

This book was very well written. It starts right in the middle of the action and never lets up. There aren't any unnecessary scenes. It is tightly written. The emotions ring true and the emotional progression is believable. The secondary characters are well drawn. The story is not all roses. Realistic bad stuff happens. There was some angst.

I normally enjoy a good epilogue that advances the characters' lives a year or so. Here I kind of think I'd rather the book ended without one. For one thing I think the advancements made in the time that passes before this final scene are too great and a bit pat. But mostly because, contrary to my life long preferences, I would have loved to see a second book about this pair. I would have loved to read about their struggles and triumphs as they arrive at that wonderful world shown in the epilogue. ( )

Not for me

Nightfall
4 Stars

Synopsis
Following an apocalyptic event, Jenna Barclay realizes that her estranged father's insane prophecies were right on the mark. Little does she know that her father took steps to ensure her survival until the moment she finds herself kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin by John Mason, a former marine, who owed her father a life debt. Joined by a handful of survivors, Jenna and John will have to work together in order to survive in a world gone mad.

Review
I'm not really a fan of post-apocalyptic stories but this one has just the right mix of sci-fi and paranormal romance.

While the premise is compelling and the world building has promise, it is lacking certain details. For example, the reason for the apocalypse is hinted at but never fully explained. It is possible that this information will be forthcoming in future installments.

The story progresses at a rapid and engrossing pace. The action scenes are well written and easy to visualize. I enjoyed the fact that the demon-dogs are reminiscent of the creatures in Dean R. Koontz's Midnight. Nevertheless, there are some scenes that defy logic and test one's ability to suspend disbelief. Moreover, there is a certain emotional detachment from characters and events, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the book.

The characters are a mixed bag - some don't stick around long enough for the reader to get attached to and others are not that likeable. That said, the main couple is very engaging and have a sizzling chemistry. Mason is a dominant alpha male who initially comes across as cold and uncaring but this is ultimately revealed to be a defense mechanism. Jenna is strong and intelligent but fears opening up to Mason who reminds her of her father. While their physical attraction is immediate, they do not give in to it until their emotional connection begins building, and this is a positive element of their relationship.

Overall, the book is entertaining and the concept intriguing enough to continue reading the rest of the trilogy. ( )

The action and suspense surrounding the characters made it extremely hard to put this book down. From the get go, the heroine and hero are thrust into survival mode as they try to find a safe haven from the apocalypse. It certainly helps to have a military trained man of the woods at your side. The hero lived with her estranged father and knew about the end of the world and immediately hunted her down to save her. He's humorless, hard and ruthless when it comes to keeping the problem he made to her father and nothing will stop him from seeing it threw. As time goes on, the hero gains affection for the heroine and soon comes to love her. Even though she's all too human and soft for the world they live in now. The most heart wrenching scene hands down was when the heroine is bitten and, therefore will dying turning into a monster. The hero weeps and smashing his fist against the tree in agony. Things work out but just that overwhelming sadness made me cry. This was an amazing book and I can't wait to read it again. ( )