Darkness Brutal

Written by Rachel A. Marks

Narrated by Will Damron

Aidan O’Linn’s childhood ended the night he saw a demon kill his mother and mark his sister, Ava, with Darkness. Since then, every three years the demons have returned to try to claim her. Living in the gritty, forgotten corners of Los Angeles, Aidan has managed to protect his sister, but he knows that even his powers to fight demons and speak dead languages won’t keep her safe for much longer.

In desperation, Aidan seeks out the help of Sid, the enigmatic leader of a group of teens who run LA Paranormal, an Internet reality show that fights demons and ghosts. In their company, Aidan believes he’s finally found a haven for Ava. But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy, he awakens powers he didn’t know he had―and unleashes a new era of war between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness.

With the fate of humanity in his hands, can Aidan keep the Darkness at bay and accept his brilliant, terrifying destiny?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491590645

Rachel A. Marks

Rachel A. Marks is an award-winning writer, a professional artist, and a cancer survivor. She is the author of the Dark Cycle series, which includes Darkness Brutal, Darkness Fair, and Darkness Savage, and of the novella Winter Rose. Her art can be found on the covers of several New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. She lives in Southern California with her husband, four kids, three chickens, two precocious pups, and a cat. You can find out more about her weird life on her website at www.RachelAnneMarks.com.

Reviews for Darkness Brutal

[crtsjffrsn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Aidan O'Linn's childhood was far from what anyone would call typical. And when a demon killed his mother and marked his sister, Ava, with Darkness before his own eyes, it hit new extremes. Now he must protect his sister from the demons, who return every three years to try to finish what they started. But Aidan isn't completely helpless in this endeavor. He has powers of his own, which allow him to see demons and try to fight them off before they can get to him. But lately he's experiencing changes to those powers, and it's clear things will only get more dangerous for him as a result. Aidan connects with Sid, the leader of a local paranormal investigation group, who has gathered a group of young people who also have powers, though each a bit different from Aidan's. Aidan is hopeful that Sid can help him to understand his powers and keep his sister safe, but first Aidan needs to figure out if he can trust Sid. And trust is something that doesn't come easy for Aidan at all. But should he have reason to trust Sid in the first place? And what about the others living in the house? With the demons coming for Ava again soon, Aidan doesn't have much time to figure everything out.

I found myself pleasantly surprised by this book. When I read the blurb, I was intrigued enough to pick it up, but I didn't expect to be drawn into this world as quickly as I was. The urban fantasy world (this is set in Los Angeles) that the author has created is very rich and dynamic, and the characters are well-developed, complex, and interesting. The plot has some unexpected twists, but it flows extremely well without a single scene appearing out of place. The way the author reveals the history is also quite fascinating, as it ties together comments that come up early in the book and follow the characters throughout.

This is the start of a series, and it's definitely a solid one. I have to say I am personally looking forward to picking up the next installment when it releases in February.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Dark Cycle trilogy. This was a good dark YA urban fantasy read. The book is about a young man (17 yr old) that can see demons. When things get tough for him and his sister he ends up finding shelter in a home of kids that have strange abilities similar to his.I listened to this on audiobook and the narration was very well done. This is definitely a series I would recommend listening to on audiobook if you like audiobooks.The book moves at a decent pace and has plenty of action and magic. The book mostly revolves around the main character trying to discover and learn about his own powers. However, he is also trying to protect his young sister from a demonic awakening that is supposed to happen when she gets to her twelfth birthday.There are a lot of interesting characters in here and, for the most part, I enjoyed the story. I did feel like the pacing was a bit off and the story changed focus sporadically. The first part of the book really focuses on Aiden and his issues. The middle is more focused on Paranormal Investigations which is the reality show that the house of kids Aiden seeks shelter with runs. Then towards the end of the book many of the interesting side characters aren't mentioned anymore and the story goes back to focusing on Aiden.Overall this was a well done YA urban fantasy read. However, I am not sure if I will continue with this series or not right now. The took itself a bit too seriously for me and I would have enjoyed some humor in here to lighten up the darkness. I enjoyed it but towards the end it was getting kind of long. The story wraps up the immediate issue Aiden and his sister face, but doesn't completely solve things.

[demonite93 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting first book of a YA series. Did not contain nearly as much mushy nonsense as I was expecting, which was nice. The ending was not what I was expecting which definitely lead me to wanting to finish the series. I would recommend to anyone that is a fan of the YA supernatural genre.

[daristeiad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very entertaining book. The characters were likeable and well developed. The plot held my attention throughout and the ending was a satisfying set up for the next book in the series. For those who enjoy modern escape fantasy fiction, this book is worth reading.

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though the biblical stuff was off-putting, I loved both the characters and the story.

[popcornreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Award-winning writer Rachel A. Marks designs amazing illustrations in addition to being one hell of a writer. Talk about multi-talented! She calls Darkness Brutal, Book #1 in her new The Dark Cycle series, Supernatural meets Oliver Twist. I think she nailed it with that tagline. The only thing I would add is that this Oliver Twist-like character is a teen living in a world that’s even darker and more sinister than the one Charles Dickens gave his Oliver Twist. If you like dark fantasy novels then this one is going to thrill you. If you like novels about family and loyalty, featuring a reluctant hero then look no further. Boy have I got a fun read for you at htp://popcornreads.com/?p=8545.

[ladycato · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Marks has written a wonderfully fresh take YA and urban fantasy, two genres that are bogged down by tropes. I've read almost 100 urban fantasies, so it was really nice to read a book and be surprised again, and again, and again. Aidan's voice is perfectly teenaged and snarky, and he feels real; it was great to see a strong teenaged male lead. He's had an awfully rough life. His witch of a mother (literally) died when he was a kid, and he has spent the years since trying to look over his beloved little sister who is in foster care. Magical abilities run in the family. Aidan sees demons everywhere and dreads what might be coming for his sister Ava as her birthday nears. I don't want to give too much away. Marks has a knack for writing characters who are manipulated by forces beyond their control, but who are not passive in the slightest. The female cast is very strong here. The end is fantastic and draw things together in a way I did not anticipate at all... and makes me even more eager to read the next book.