The first book in the series, Dreams, begins with Sarah, the heroine, standing at her parents' graves. We learn they have been murdered and that they are hunters, but at this point we are not told what exactly they hunt. This quite clever tease left me curious and eager to discover what was going to unfold over the course of the story. The first chapter then drops you straight into the middle of the action. We see Sarah on her first hunt and we learn about her supernatural power, the blackwater, which allows her to dissolve demons. I quite liked this idea as it's not a power I've come across in any of the other books I've read. One other thing I found refreshing was that using the power was not as simple as putting her hands out and dissolving the demon. The blackwater leaves Sarah soaked and feeling drained, which gives it a more real and frightening edge. It reminds me of Rumplestiltskin's warning in Once Upon A Time - 'all magic comes with a price'. In these books it really does!
'Sleep. Her own private torture.
She was too tired to stop it.
If I dream again, I swear, it'll kill me. For real.' (Dreams)
As Dreams progresses we learn that Sarah is the sole heir to the Secret Family of the Midnights. What she doesn't know, what her parents have kept from her, is that there are other Secret Families out there and they are all being slowly hunted down and massacred by groups of Valaya, people who have essentially sold their souls to the devil. It is in this backdrop that we discover Sarah's life is in danger and she doesn't even realise it.
Into the picture comes Sean Hannay, a (seemingly) ordinary human who has trained in magic to become a Gamekeeper. Gamekeepers are like bodyguards to the Secret Heirs. He comes into Sarah's world posing as her cousin Harry, having been sent by the real Harry before he died. Naturally, Sarah and Sean start to grow ever closer and this sets the scene for plenty of complication and misunderstanding between them.
The books are told in both third and first person narrative, allowing us to see into the minds of the other characters. As well as Sarah and Sean we are introduced to Elodie, Harry's widow, Mike & Niall, a gamekeeper and other Secret Heir hiding in Louisiana, and Leaf/Nicholas who enters Sarah's life through her dreams and is shrouded by mystery. I liked this set up as it gave the reader information that was withheld from certain characters. It allows the reader to see all the hidden agendas and to know how characters feel about one another before they realise it themselves. It did make me want to bash some heads together at certain points too!
Both books zip along, demon attacks coming from left and right, often without any warning. It's exhilarating and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Moreover, as the story unfolds more and more secrets come to light until you realise that the Midnights are not as clear-cut as it first seemed. Your perception of certain characters is certainly challenged as the books progress.
Without wanting to give too much of the story away, Sarah does eventually discover how in the dark she's been kept. Sean's true identity comes to light too and in Tide we see her move to Midnight Hall on the island of Islay on a quest to unravel the truth about her family. If Dreams kept you on the edge of your seat, Tide will have you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster ride! There are so many twists and turns, it leaves you wondering what is going to happen next. It was refreshing to find a book where I couldn't guess at where the story was headed. Some of the reveals are truly shocking and left me sitting gaping.
'Something cold and
steely blossomed in her heart. She would not let all this loss
annihilate her. It would be easy to give in to the pain, but she
wouldn't - she'd turn the grrief into strength. She would be tempered,
like metal in water.' (Tide)
I found it easy to warm to Sarah. She is not your average drippy heroine. In the beginning she may not know much, but she grows in strength and character with every chapter. In Tide she truly comes into her own and isn't afraid to face the demons. She fights her own battles, but she is also psychologically and emotional vulnerable, which makes her more real and believable. She is deeply scarred by her parents' death and by her dreams, which has led to her developing OCD behaviour.
The inevitable love triangle is there, of course, but I rather enjoyed it. Both Sean and Nicholas are strong, handsome guys, so you can understand why Sarah is torn between them. They do both have their flaws, however, and ironically both keep her in the dark about their true identity. I must admit I am very much Team Sean. I just loved the balance between caring and chemistry that was infused in all their scenes.
Tide leaves us with more battles to be faced and questions still to be answered. Right now I can't even guess where the next book will take us. If it's anything like Dreams and Tide it will be a whirlwind ride. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two. Daniela is a great writer. She can certainly create suspense and pull the rug from under your feet. I think these books deserve to be as popular as some of the other YA fare out there. If you liked Mortal Instruments then you will definitely love these books. These are certainly books that are not to be missed!
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