The Deepest Night by Shana Abe – a Review

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Description:
It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.  Beautifully written, deeply romantic, and filled with daring adventure and magic, The Deepest Night is a mesmerizing novel of the enduring pull of destiny, and the eternal strength of love

Review:

The Deepest Night is Shana Abe’s 2^nd book in her The Sweetest Dark series.  To refresh your memory, we met Lora Jones in the first book, as she learned she was drakon, with ability to change into smoke and become a dragon.  This series takes place in England, during 1915, which is a time of a war.  Normally, I don’t usually like stories set in the past, especially if it’s not a historical romance.  But Abe does a wonderful job making this story a beautiful scenario, even in the time of war.

When we left off in The Sweetest Dark, Lora was grieving the loss of her love, Jesse, who was also her protector and teacher of her magical abilities.  But Jesse is a star, who is a light filled with song; as the stars fill the sky with light and song, and they are the ones who take care of their dragons. 

The Deepest Night picks up just about at the end of the school year, where Lora wonders where she will be sent for the summer.  Armand (Mandy), who also loves Lora, is determined to keep her close by, so that he can protect her. Armand is also a drakon, but he has not made the change, as of yet.  This story is about Lora and Armand,  with  multiple pov’s, though mostly Lora’s, and an occasional one from Jesse, who keeps his loving eye on Lora, but only in the stars.

The crux of the story is that it is wartime, and Armand finds out that his brother Aubrey, is still alive, but a prisoner of war.  Lora is determined to use her ability and go to Germany to save Aubrey.  What I thought made this book even better then the first book was watching Lora use her gifts, and I totally adored when she became a dragon, and with Mandy on her back flying high.  It was a lot of fun, and scary when she would lose the change while in the air and poor Mandy dropping to the ground. It also became natural to her to appear nude in front of him when she changes back from dragon to girl; and when Armand does make his first change, he too will be nude.  But at this point of their relationship, it doesn’t have an effect, other then being natural & helping one another.

The other main part of the story is Armand’s love for Lora, and how slowly she begins to feel more for him.  She becomes very protective of Mandy, knowing he is due to go through a very painful first change. In The Deepest Night, Lora truly becomes a strong heroine, and learning to use her gifts makes her more confident and courageous.  I like Armand more in this book, as he shows his love for Lora so well.  We find ourselves rooting for her to open her heart and accept Armand. 

The last third of the book, with Lora flying with Armand on her back, as they head to war torn Germany to save Aubrey was very exciting and tense.  In between there was some dangerous tight situations, and possible exposure when she was forced to turn into her dragon form to save them.  I really enjoyed this book, and love the drakon concept and watching Lora become so strong.  I know Shana Abe is writing the third book in this series, and hopefully we will get to see Lora admit her feelings for Armand, and they become the couple they are expected to be.  One can hope.  The Deepest Night continues the wonderful theme of the Drakons, with the younger set.  Abe has given us a beautiful background for this story. 

Review by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher