Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

MRowen-Dark KissAwhile back, I was looking to see if there was anything that piqued my interest in the YA genre.  I ended up coming across Michelle Rowen’s new YA novel (which is a new series, too!!), Dark Kiss, and thought the synopsis looked new and fresh and interesting, so I started reading it and I devoured it! So much on that whole “no new series” book ban thing, *sigh* *snort*.

I don’t do dangerous.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha—that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me…something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing—and I don’t know if I can get it back.

Then there’s Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he’s what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me….

Dark Kiss is everything I like in a novel: fast paced, action packed and good world building weaved into the plot line; characters you can relate to and connect with; and easy to read/follow writing style. I liked the fact that the plot was fast, and not the drag feet through mud slow, paced and Rowen did a great job of keeping the pace up while doing some fantastic worldbuilding. This isn’t also easy to do, but Rowen nails it.

Another thing I really like about Dark Kiss, is that there are no vamps or weres/shifters.  There *are* angels and demons…and they are working together.  Yeah…not a totally new concept, but I like the spin on this “band together to defeat a common enemy” theme.  There is a new type of paranormal, something Rowen terms as a “Gray”.  I’m not sure I 100% understand what a “Gray” is…but I think it’s a subtype of demon…similar to a succubus or incubus, but there’s no sex involved (hey it is YA after all *G*).  A Gray has no soul and you become one after being kissed by one.  When you get kissed by a Gray, you lose your soul, which is why I use the succubus/incubus analogy…taking energy/soul etc through a somewhat sexual act. The angels and demons have banded together to figure out who is making the Grays; but, things don’t exactly go as originally planned.

I loved Samantha, our heroine.  She is your average teenage girl at first.  Not overly popular…just content to blend in.  Well…then her world gets all turned around when she becomes…quite unknowingly…a Gray. But she isn’t just any Gray.  She has special abilities and is a major asset.  Samantha is kind and caring; she wants to help out (regardless of if you’re human or not) if she can.  Although she isn’t just taking anyone’s word at face value.  She tries to give “people” the benefit of the doubt and wants to make sure her course of action is what she believes is the right thing to do…not just follow along blindly.  I admire this trait.  Sadly, I can’t say much about Bishop.  He doesn’t stick out in my mind.

I just can’t say enough good things about Dark Kiss.  If you’re a fan of paranormal YA, I definitely recommend you pick up Dark Kiss. Now…when does the next installment of this series (Nightwatchers) come out *G*?

Read Order:
Dark Kiss
Wicked Kiss

Also reviewed by: Once Upon a Series, SBLC, Livin Life Through Books, Paperbook Princess, Burnt Pages Book Reviews

About Nicole 146 Articles
Attorney by day, Publicist for Barclay Publicity and reviewer/LE (assistant) editor by night. I'm a huge book nerd and love to read. I have 2 dogs, both Labrador retriever mixed breeds, who are very rotten and think they run the house. Let's not lie, they totally do, I just can't them know it ha ha! My usual genre is romance or urban fantasy. I love all things having to do with paranormal, with the occasional good contemp/BDSM/erotica thrown in to spice it all up.