This fantasy is very unusual from my typical genre but being from a favorite author, I knew it would be good. While I felt it started off a little slow, Jackson quickly picked up the pace delving into Aria’s nightmare world and the one she had fallen for, Pax. Going against the rules of the underworld, Aria and Pax battle the evil forces that threaten to end her. That we still have more of their story to go,her fans will be excited for the next book.

firstly thanks to netgalley for the arc. now onto my review.
okay i fucking LOVED this. not usually a fan of “forbidden love” but FORBIDDEN SOULMATES???? YES. aria and pax are so 🩷❤️🩷❤️ i love them
need me a man like pax fr.
THE ENDING????????? WHAT IN THE FUCK. LIKE ACTUALLY. AND THE CLIFFHANGER????????? NEED MORE PLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLS
now onto what i wasn’t a fan of. i didn’t really like how it kept switching between first and third person when they were in tearsith and faydor, but it didn’t bother me enough that i couldn’t continue.
also, the emphasis on just how chiseled pax was, and how small and innocent aria looked was a little much. again not enough that i couldn’t look past it, just something i noticed. also, ik their eyes are a big thing, but once you’ve established that they’re gray you don’t need to put it in every sentence. it gets a bit much.
overall tho definitely recommend this. very very good. and i love the concept of it!!

This was definitely a really interesting premise to a book. I enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.

This is a departure from what I expect from this author and one I enjoyed very much. aria faced some difficult family dynamics in this imaginative world where she fought demons in her dreams and woke in the “real” world carrying the scars of her battle, which led to her parents being scared enough to try to force her into a mental hospital. The issue is that it allows the demons easier access to her. pax, her partner in the dream world and also, her soul mate, breaks the rules in order to save her (getting together in the real world risks him turning bad). Action packed with much lore, this ends in a cliffhanger with this story spanning who knows how many stories. I wish I knew because while I would love to read it, I would have liked to wait till after the series was done because I’m impatient! But a good start to the series! Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the early read.

This was so unique and took me on a journey to be honest, it had a night terrors feel, but what happens in your sleep is brought into reality which was scary.

Something I wish that had been cleared up early on in the book is them travelling successfully seems unlikely with authorities potentially hunting them. Like this lived rent free in the back of my mind that they were always one chapter away from getting caught up and distracted by law enforcement.

I like the details regarding the Laven and the enemy they tackle in the night. The way this does turn into a waking problem is interesting and creates good tension. I feel like there may be more hidden implications to the pairs meeting up in their waking life, and if there’s another book I would love to see if my theory is correct on that.

Whether it’s writing her tried-and-true romance novels or taking a departure into the realm of fantasy, A.L. Jackson has truly perfected the art of storytelling. Boasting a unique and compelling premise, “Visions of Darkness,” transports readers to another plane, taking them on one helluva fantastical ride. In the process, she delivers a story of a young girl with two realities that really strikes an emotional chord. Though a step outside my preferred genre, this spellbinding story pulled me in right from the get-go and held me in its grip right up until the very end. I can hardly wait for what comes next!

This dark romantasy from A.L. Jackson is quite a departure from her normal contemporary romance stories, but I know she has been wanting to write this for more years than I can remember, and I am so excited she finally got to bring her vision to life!

The fantasy world is one I have just recently started to delve into, and I must admit I am enjoying the stories I've read immensely! Aria and Pax, two souls united in the dream world along with the rest of their Laven family to fight and destroy a terrifying evil that seeps into the minds of people who are feeling weak or lost or down on their luck and turning them into monsters in the waking world.

Aria has long known that she was very different from the rest of her family, and unfortunately for her, they don't understand her at all and keep locking her away for her own good. But Pax, her soulmate in the dream world, comes for her in the waking world to rescue her from the evil that is hunting her. That is forbidden though, and comes with devastating consequences, or so they've been told. Sounds exciting, right! Oh, it is!

I was wholly captivated by this story, by the weight of responsibility that's been placed on each of the Laven who descend nightly to hunt and destroy the Kruen who constantly infect the minds of those weak enough to let them in. Amy does a great job of navigating the reader through Pax and Aria in the dream world, and then together in the waking world and all the dangers and evil that are chasing them there. I don't know how they were brave enough or strong enough to descend into the nightmare realm of Faydor night after night, knowing they were fighting the worst types of evil, and often waking with horrific wounds on their physical selves they sustained while in the dream state.

I had no trouble following this fantasy, I could visualize perfectly what was happening at all times. I did find myself skipping paragraphs ahead when the story got a little too wordy and all I wanted to know was what was going to happen next. Amy has a very lyrical style of writing which I love but every once in a while, it gets a little long in the tooth and takes me out of the action and I find myself skipping a bit. But overall, this story is fantastical and emotional and otherworldly and with the way it ended, I cannot wait to see what is in store next for Aria and Pax!

I love this author and love how she went to this genre! Ahhhhh, I can't wait for more! This had me from the second I started reading it! Thank you for the ARC

Every night when Aria falls asleep, she slips into another world. A world where she and her Nol (soulmate), Pax, fight the Kruen, evil beings hell bent on spreading evil and calamity into the real world.

Aria’s family thought she was just a little girl with an overactive imagination. No one believed her nightly adventures. As the years go by, the more concerned her parents become. It takes many years before Aria realizes this is a secret she has to keep if she wants to remain free and not be locked away in a mental health facility.

One day, Aria‘s mother discovers yet another concerning injury, this time on Aria‘s shoulder. Her parents think she may be suffering a psychotic break, but her injury came from the Kruen. At nearly 18 Aria fleas her childhood home, knowing she will never be believed.

In the real world, Aria and Pax have never met as it is against the rules, but their souls are connected in ways neither of them can imagine. When the dangers of Faydor begin mixing with Aria’s real world, the two must decide if breaking the cardinal rule is the only way to keep Aria safe.

Coming to my rating : out of 5 stars
Title :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the title is what in the first place attracted me to the book
Cover :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ beautiful cover, added to the beauty of the story.
Character development :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the developemnt of the characters, of araia and pax, as the story progressed, was well written. He becoming to love, and her gaining the strength and confidence, it was good.
Writing style :⭐️⭐️⭐️ the human emotions were well written, it made me connect deeper with the characters. Other descriptions and the characters lines, were good.
Originality :⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot :⭐️⭐️⭐️ the plot at few points seemed a bit repetitive and also the story at few points seem predictable. But other than that the story was quite engaging.
Overall :⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 stars. So i would round it off to 4.

A detailed review is on my goodreads, for which i have attached the link. And i would be soon posting the review of the book, in my instagram too. I will make sure to tag the author. And if possible share the link here.

this book is about fantasy romance and its about Aria and Pax who are soulmates. Aria is guardian and have to fight to protect both worlds. while they in a state of dream they travel to another world. where if they hurt themselves their, they get hurt in the human world. Pax protect Aria, Her parent doesnt believe in the world and believe she is self harming until the other world come to the human world to wreck havoc and chaos.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am undecided about this thus far and will have to come back to edit my review and provide more details when I have had time to process.

2.5 ☆
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The premise of this story is what caught my attention. Aria Rialta is a girl of two realities. One she was born into. The other she was chosen for. Both are a threat. Every night when Aria falls asleep, she enters the nightmare world of Faydor to fight a war. Pax must do what no one in Faydor has dared to do before—join his soulmate in the light of day. Giving in to their forbidden attraction could be the death of them, but they might not be able to stop themselves as they embark on a cross-country journey to fight the evils hunting them. I think it was the pacing of the story that made me lose interest in the story altogether. I will reread it once the book is published. I am a mood reader, so that might be the reason as well.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬
•Forbidden Romance
•Dark Romantasy
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Thank you, Netgellay, and Montlake for the eBook in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. The magical themes , the romance undertone, the forbidden vibe , the mental health discussions. It was all done beautifully and what Al Jackson does everytime is give beautiful descriptions that bring to life a world that we all would love to join.

This book had a very unique premise and gripping ideas for the plot, but ultimately fell flat for me. It felt overwritten, underedited, but still had lots of potential. Pax and Aria's romance was a highlight for me, giving me the tension and angst I love in romantasy books. While this first book was not a hit for me, I have hope for the rest of the series.

I think other readers could really enjoy this - it just wasn't for me sadly!

It took me a little bit to follow along with the mystery world in Aria and Pax's dreams. I felt so bad for them because they were so misunderstood by their family. Then once things started taking place during the waking hours, that's when I really began to get interested. I loved that spin, how the Kreun work and how Aria is able to tap into those thoughts. It was a good read. That ending was something else. Curious as to what the next book holds.

Arc provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing adventure. A girl, Aria, living a life in a real human world and a world that’s unreachable except for the chosen ones. She’s a fighter, a survivor, and a girl finding herself when those closest to her are out at great risk. Don’t worry, there’s love, admiration, and the bravest of chosen families.

I had a lovely few days reading Visions of Dark was and the way it ended, I’ll impatiently wait for the next.

OMG!!! Jackson is turning her attention into the world of the other worldly and I AM HERE FOR IT!!

Visions of Darkness is not what you would expect from Jackson but it’s the start to a world that I desperately need more of! This first book hooked me and now I need book 2 asap because that cliffhanger has me still screaming days after I finished!

Pax and Aria are connected but their connection can never be more than brief moments in the dark. As they battle to save more than just their world there are rules to follow but their bond is deeper than anyone thought possible and now love is on the line!!

Being someone who loves books that are out of the norm and along the lines of fantasy I was excited to see Jackson taking her skills into a new genre and I loved every page!

I need the next book - ASAP!

I loved Aria and Pax. The world building made the beginning a little slow, but otherwise, great story!

3,75/5
This book tells the story of Aria and Pax, a couple of young people who while sleeping, travel to Tearsith, a world in which they prepare to fight against a darkness that affects our world.
He is the guardian of Aria, his duty is to sacrifice for her if necessary, and together they must defeat these demons that creep into our minds to torture us, so that we may be evil and comsumed by the darkness. But there is a problem, the wounds they suffer in this world they suffer as well while awake, and this will make Arias's parents think she is self-injuring, so they send her to a psychiatric.
This might not be serious, if it were not because these demons are haunting her while she is awake and vulnerable. In order to save her, Pax must break the rules and find her before it's too late, starting here an adventure in which they'll find many answers, they'll face enemies that will not make it easy for them, and they'll try to stop a forbidden love.
I knew I would like this book, but it has exceeded my expectations. I must say that sometimes Pax stressed me, his only personality was to want to protect Aria and be in love with her, he constantly repeated it and that made me a little bored. Taking that out, I loved Aria, the plot, the world that has created the author.
Is an addicitve romantasy with a little spice, with an ending that leaves you screaming and wanting more pages. Literally the last sentence has shocked me. I had the feeling that would happen, but seeing it confirmed has been superior.
I really need this book to be published now so that I can talk about it with someone.