Woah! I actually could not stop reading this book. Cyborgs and humans unable to mingle... forbidden love ... a terrifying evil controlling the government... what’s not to love!

In all seriousness, this story sucked me in from the beginning. It is a completely different fantasy story than I am used to, but it does not disappoint. Read this book you will not regret it!

A girl/Cyborg who falls for a human boy, who needs anymore title then that.

Terra a girl who everyday goes to the pits, a place for fighting, where she is the is the best in her category. keeps dreaming about a boy whom she can't save.

One day, she meets the boy and asks him the questions she needs answers too, the answer will not come easily, because he is a cyborg and she is human, and it's forbidden for them to talk to each other.


Highly recommend to read this book, if you have never read anything by this Author this should be the first.

This is the beginning of a sequel series to Eternal Darkness trilogy. But you can start with this book and not have read the prequels like I did and really enjoy it. And you will join me in anticipating the sequel.

In a near future with a controlling New Government, cyborgs live among humans as lesser citizens. They have returned after being exiled, due to the revolution. Cyborgs and humans are not allowed to interact without official permission.

Terra lives in a privileged part of the city but spends her nights taking parts in illegal underground fights. There she meets Kalem, a cyborg, who is the boy that she has been having nightmares about!

They mystery of what binds them together gets you hooked, as circumstances bring them into each other's lives. And what a pair they make: The rebellious, wisecracking but ultimately kind Terra, with the seemingly always serious, secretive and obviously wounded Kalem. Their interactions boast of a great chemistry being developed in spite of their reservations, due to trust issues and the illegality of it all.

I really like that Terra has no prejudice against cyborgs. How brutally honest she can be. And that she constantly wants to throw things at Kalem!

There is more to this world than just the dictatorial government on the surface. This is sci-fi with a hint of a supernatural element to it. The author has done a great job in filling this book with engaging characters. Quite a feat to decide on a fave. A richness in emotions embellishes the narrative. Discovering what is really going on is so intriguing, and we do it along with our protagonist in such interesting ways. Also there is no predicting where the story is going.

Sometimes things are over-explained, but luckily that doesn't ruin the pace, even though there are a few 'slower' parts.

In a nutshell, this is about having faith in the ability to change things for the better. About battling your demons, facing your past and becoming stronger because of it.

So where is the next book in this series?

I read this without knowing that it was the follow up to the Eternal Darkness trilogy.
And while I could follow the story just fine because it has new characters, there are characters from the original trilogy involved who will make you want to read the first three books because they are so strong and wonderful. Also, the story is beautifully complex and I'm sure that- while it isn't necessary - reading the story from the beginning will enhance the experience even more.

There is the forbidden relationship between a girl and a Cyborg, there are some supernatural elements like mindcontrol and there is a seemingly mighty government that has their eyes and ears everywhere.
Not to forget the mysterious prototype Cyborgs who seem to be immortal...

I really can't wait to be be back in this world and see where the Cyborgs are taking us next!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a sci-fi fantasy YA novel and it gave me a bit of supernatural vibes as well. Which got a little confusing later.

It starts with Terra who has nightmares about a boy she tries to save him but fails. In her real life she fights in the pits and has contact with cyborgs which is highly illegal.
One day she notices the boy in her nightmares in the stands of fighting pit. And when the pits are attacked and raided by Watchers/police. The boy saves her and takes her to his hideout/home. Where she meets the other cyborgs and Scarlett who is the x prototype. Who they say is the reason for the war/ rebellion.

There is a forbidden romance between the cyborg boy and Terra(human). She is blind from one eye. Which she constantly thinks in her book is a flaw and is very conscious about it. Yet she is true to herself her flaws her temper. I liked that about her. I would love to know more about Kalem he sounds like an interesting person. And the monster... now him/it has me intrigued.

All the other characters though, frankly speaking I was lost! I haven't read the previous series and since there are many characters and mentions from the previous ones. I could not really understand their motivation their relationship with one another. Which is why i found this book confusing. I found myself feeling detached from the events unfolding in the book which is clearly important and I would understand them if I read the previous series.

I felt like the whole relationship between Terra and scarlett wasn't explained, her grandmother was out of the play so to speak too early. The cyborg from the pits who Terra risks her life for was just mentioned in passing when clearly he meant a lot to her.
I didn't feel Terra had any attachment to her friends no matter how hard we were told they were important and what happens later in the book.

I would suggest readers to read the previous series before picking this one.

Thankyou to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with the ARC for an honest opinion

I enjoyed this book, it was original and unpredictable.I liked the main character, I like flawed characters, and she certainly was.The story was good, the world that had been created was interesting and there were many unexpectedly fascinating characters.I thought it was a very entertaining read.

I would like to thank J.F. Johns & Amazon Publishing for my copy of the ARC. Due to this kind gesture, I have decided to leave an honest review.
God damn you, Amanda! When will you research a book before you apply for the ARC? This book is a sequel series to a series called Eternal Darkness Trilogy. Luckily, you don't have to have read the first series to get to grips with it but I think it would help.

In a world where humans and cyborgs coexist, it is forbidden for them to interact. Terra has never grasped this law, but when your dad is an extremely important part of the government, she knows she is meant to be a good girl. In her posh neighbourhood, at her posh school, with her posh friends, but what happens if that never satisfies? Especially after the loss of her mother. Terra decides the only way to deal with her anger is the pits. Where humans & cyborgs alike come to fight, illegally of course. That is where Terra sees him, the silver-eyed boy who has plagued her dreams while he dies.. each and every time. Can Terra fight the urge to get involved in a revolution, or will she be the one to kick start it?.

I actually really enjoyed this book, yeah the writing was a bit lost on me at times but it kept me gripped. I couldn't tell if he was going for a younger YA audience or not, but then some sexy time made me realise probably not but it did tend to fall that way.

The world-building had some real Hunger Games vs Divergent going on. There were 7 Capitals, each having a real futuristic theme which really gave it HG feels. Each Capital (district) served a purpose, had watchers (peacekeepers) plus had curfews. No man's land kinda reminded me of Divergent, and the walls/fences around the Capitals reminded me of both books but it certainly had its own spin on it which was good.

There was a lot of characters (not too many that would blow your mind) but a good few. I think this is where it would have helped to have read the first books that the story originated from as these cyborgs seem pretty badass. I even found myself rooting for them pretty early on in the book which was awesome!

Our leading lady Terra Underwood was rather good, she started to get a bit annoying nearer the end of the book but she started off pretty strong. I have a lot of love for our cyborgs. The twins Ten & Rife were so creepy but I absolutely loved their characters! They reminded me of something from the shinning and I could imagine them rolling around on their plastic tricycles whispering "oil rummmmm, OIL RUMMM".

There were major strong females in here, Camille was obviously extremely cool, but Scarlette is going to be KICK ASS! or so I hope. Scarlet has the potential to knock it out of the park and I love the whole world destroyer thing. Morgana, we haven't heard much of yet so I am dying to see what happens with her character, I hope she's a super badass like Scarlet. Petra is a real devil, a proper Mike Tyson *wink wink* and she is ready to go to town! I always love a good villain, they make the story. There was a few characters who just went completely MIA like Hooky? He was a huge part then boom 0. Also, Terra's friend Damien?! Sasha & Damien both went MIA but Sasha still returns, Damien is just never heard from!

That brings me to our swoon-worthy cyborg males, and they certainly are hot hot. Eric Thorn has that cheeky cocky confidence around him that I absolutely love! He always seems up to something while not being up to actually anything. Malcolm Broddory we haven't heard much from him yet, but I can feel myself getting behind him. Then we have Kalem Akuma, oh how the Lord has answered our prayers! I never realised how much I wanted a cyborg boyfriend with serious KJ Apa feels (with KJ's natural colour of his hair of course). He comes across as mysterious, brooding, heart swooning male. He and Eric have done a number on me and I need another hit!

All in all the book was pretty good and I will certainly be reading on, I actually can't wait to see what unfolds.

https://mandyizzym.tumblr.com

"'Shoe's take time, your ginormous feet need time to adjust.' 'My feet are not big.' ' You know what they say about big feet...' Malcolm arched an eyebrow, then realising what she had meant glanced down at the shoes and said, You are right. My feet are big, aren't they?' Men, Camille thought.

Love the basis of this sequel to Eternal Darkness. It focuses on the main character, Terra, a human, who dreams about, and meets a cyborg boy, Kalem. They embark on an adventure to try to rid the world of an evil immortal X-Prototype, that is secretly controlling the government. Humans and cyborgs are forbidden to even speak to each other, much less become friends, adding to their forbidden relationship.
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During the book I felt like the story of Scarlet would have be a much better focus; and then I learned, Eternal Darkness explains her story (even though you’re suppose to be able to read this on it’s own, I think that story would have increased the impact of this one, if I read it prior).

Overall it’s a great read, the action scenes are descriptive and colorful; it kept me interested in the story. It’s fairly quick and easy to read, but seems to pull elements from a few other more well known novels (Hunger Games, Cinder, Divergent Series, …)

I thought we’d basically stay within the mind of Terra for the entirety of the book, but it becomes obvious thats not the case about half way through when we jump to different scenes without Terra in them, playing into the fact I felt the character thoughts are sporadic, and development is slim; making most of them lack the depth they need for me to really feel attached.
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The ending wasn’t anything unexpected; but leaves us wanting to see where things go… but in the world of Scarlet more so than Terra.

Rating: 3.5/5

I had a hard time with this book - the characters felt very flat, in both their actions and word choices, the setting didn't do anything to differentiate itself from all the YA dystopian novels before it, and the story seemed to drag. The romance between two of the protagonists felt cliche (opposites attract, brooding vs tempestuous, etc.), and the overall plot felt fairly rote. If you're a major fan of YA dystopian novels, by all means read this book (and likely the rest of the series), but if you've felt like you got your fill of the Hunger Games/Divergent/Maze Runner novels with the originals, you're not missing much.

After Darkness had a promising start - a cyborg and human, two species forbidden from interacting, embark on an adventure to save their dystopian world and fall in love along the way.

However, I felt the plot wasn't really very engaging, and the characters were unconvincing. The book itself was well written, and there were parts that I quite enjoyed, but overall it just felt like an echo of several books I've read before with nothing to really distinguish it.

I discovered later that this is the sequel to a previous trilogy, and wonder whether I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read that first?

I love it when a book can stand on it own mertis. Sometimes when a new spinoff series gets started but takes place in the same world it easy for an author to forget we didn't all start in the same place. Johns didn't make this mistake, and it was done very well. This series what captivating and exciting and felt like a thriller set in the future with enough technology to make this millenial's head spin. This book is perfect for fans of Asimov and "the robot problem" genre books. The pacing and plot of this book was beautifully sculpted, and made me want to dig into the previous series that spun off from.

I have a really hard time rating this. When I first started the book it took me til about 20% to get pulled in which usually means that I'm going to hate it. That was not the case. I ended up loving it. I did not read the original trilogy but was able to read along just fine. It felt slow to me to get into mostly because the vast difference in genre I am use to. I just have never once saw a cyborg sci-fi and thought 'oh wow this sounds interesting' but I'm thinking that was a mistake. I am now obsessed with this crazy tale. Horrifying yet romantic. It has nothing on the fae males in my life but I will be picking up the original trilogy.

In a world where humans and cyborgs are not allowed to speak to each other, and cyborgs are persecuted for being what they are, Terra, a human, has a hard time fitting in. She fights in illegal fights and dreams of a cyborg boy. When she sees the boy from her dreams in real life, she has to know why. Her pursuit of the truth will test her will and will put her and everything she loves in danger. Will she find the answers she seeks? At what price?

I was very interested in this book, because I liked the concept of humans and cyborgs living together yet separate. This book did not disappoint! It gave a vibe of X-Men meets the Hunger Games, which was pretty interesting. If you’re looking for a sci-fi adventure with a bit of romance, this is a good book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book as an eARC.

After Darkness is the first thing I have read by J.F Johns. After finishing this I then discovered that it is a sequel to the trilogy Eternal Darkness which I have not read but you can read this one and understand everything without having read the previous series.

I liked the idea of this story, Humans and Cyborgs living together but are prohibited from communicating with one another.

I liked how fast paced the book was, I was able to fly through this easily. I liked the main characters, they had good chemistry and I'm glad that despite the rules they live by they were able to overcome and trust in what they felt.

The only thing I didn't really enjoy was when the main character has a sudden idea from a gut feeling and then she went off to do something really dangerous without any real evidence or discussion.

Oh and one more thing that slightly irritated me was the reference to 'the boy of her nightmares' I just think it was used way to many times.

I like the books cover, although I was reading the Shatter Me series at the same time and found it the covers to be a little too similar!

Overall I did enjoy the book, and I'm interested to see what book 2 might bring.
Thanks to Netgallery for an ARC in exchange for my review.

After Darkness is the sequel to J.F. Johns's Eternal Darkness Trilogy, and while it can be read separately from the first series, I feel like it would be better to start with that one, for a better understanding of some of the characters and situations that unfold in this new story. Nonetheless, After Darkness was captivating. The action was fast-paced and the protagonists interesting enough to keep me invested until the end.

The plot is set in a dystopian world where humans and cyborgs cohabitate but not without strict rules being enforced. Interaction between them is prohibited unless the government gives approval. Here enters Terra, a deeply troubled girl, whose anger and volatile temperament seem to always get her into trouble. She keeps having nightmares about a boy with silver eyes, who she needs to save but can never get to him in time. Terra is obsessed with these nightmares, she doesn't understand why she keeps having them, and when she discovers that the boy really exists and she meets him, her world is turned upside down. She needs answers and he might be the only one who can help her.

I liked the world-building and the backstory of how the Nation came to be. The depiction of the seven capitals gave major Hunger Games vibes, but there are sufficient elements to make it a unique story. The romance between Terra and Kalum was sweet and heartwarming. I loved his protective nature. He kept walls around his heart but Terra managed to tare them down one by one with her effervescent personality. She was a strong-headed heroine, a badass who never backed down from a fight and although she made some poor decisions her heart was always in the right place. I could understand her behavior, she lost her mother in a tragic event and her father was not very present in her life because of his job, so she used sarcasm and underground fights as a defense mechanism. Also, the secondary characters were fascinating. Scarlett and Camille were kickass and Eric and Malcolm so swoon-worthy.

The writing style was easy to follow, with some repetitions that could have been avoided, but overall very enjoyable. This book ended in a cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to reading the next installments in the series.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

The concept of this book was very interesting to me. Humans and cyborgs living in a world together, but they are not allowed to interact with one another. The only problem is, this is a sequel to a previous trilogy by this author. You don’t have to read that series to understand this one, but it is probably best that you do. I did not read the other trilogy prior to reading this, and I think it would have made it a little easier to get into this book. Secondly, as much as I like the cover art, it really reminds me of the shatter me series. All in all, it was a very interesting idea, but I wouldn’t say it was one of my favorites.

Name: After Darkness
Author: J.F.Johns
Age: +15
Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Supernatural, Dystopian, Future
Review:
This story is set in a futuristic dystopian world, where humans and cyborgs coexists. It is strictly prohibited for humans and cyborgs to interact with each other. The protagonist, Terra, is a deeply troubled girl. She is obsessed with her nightmares about a silver eyed boy, whom she is unable to save everytime. Unable to stop this nightmares, she finds solace in going into the pit, where she meets the silver eyed boy from her nightmares. The story is fast paced, but somehow repetitive. The romance between Terra and Karem is warm yet feels alot like cliche.
It has a Hunger Games/ Divergent feels. This book is worth a read if you are a fan of YA Sci-fi or Fantasy novels.

I definitely enjoyed this a great deal more than “Eternal Darkness.” I’m wondering (like an awful middle-aged-reader-cliché) if that’s in part because Johns has developed as a writer over the last four years and several books? I will certainly be giving the author more of my time and my money with any of her future publications.

The pace of “After Darkness” briskly sweeps you along the narrative. Whilst it is very apparent that there’s a deeper pre-story to the cyborgs, this isn’t a distraction but instead makes the world richer. There’s just enough detail in the physical description of the cyborgs to make them both plausible and slightly eerie. As their backstories develop, they become the most compelling characters in the book.

Fortunately, whilst the relationship between Terra and Kalem grows through the book it doesn’t come to define Terra. I like that a great deal.

Thank you Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

The year is 2160 and Cyborgs and Humans live together in 7 different districts. The law forbids them to be together. So when Terra starts having nightmare about a silver eyed boy she finds it hard to believe its him when she runs into him. Soon they find themselves hard to stay away from each other.

When I first started reading this I did not know it was a sequel. Either way I heard this can be read even if you havent read the first one which I haven't. This book will be great for fans of futuristic love story with a little bit of trouble.

Stars: 3.5/5

I was offered this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I read most of this book in four days. I know goodreads says its been longer but I read the prologue, did exams, then completed it. Trust me, it wasn't as long as goodreads says it is.

Anyway, let's stars with positives shall we?

I liked the characters and their development. Terra was interesting - definitely a strong female protagonist but and much more mentally strong than i would have been. She has a secret in the book and honestly if I had it I would have blabbed right away, but this girl held her ground, so go her. I'm impressed. The minor characters were also pretty in-depth considering the length of the story and the amount of minor characters there were. I enjoyed this. Also they were all distinct characters! If you read my reviews regularly, you know this is important to me. Too often characters' personalities blend together.

The romance had me captured. There were moments where I could physically feel this attraction in the centre of my chest. It was powerful and amazingly written.

The world was also well developed. I was definitely interested in it and the way it was presented - in a library - was interesting! Great way of introducing the world.

I hate to do this, but the negatives -

It was mainly little things about this story that bothered me. Terra blacked out/ fainted like 6 times. Too much. "Everything went black" is over-written in my opinion and it comes up a lot in this story. Terra gets injured far too much for my liking. It was a bit repetitive - she gets injured, Kalem cares for her. But the chemistry between them is great!

Another little thing, there were minor details I didn't see the point to. Terra's sketching ability? Did not become important. At all. Her third friend... Damien, was it? Did nothing for the point.

Lastly, the book left me with so many questions. And not in a good way. The ending wasn't... a great and capturing cliffhanger. One thing I think could have been answered was the purpose for Terra's nightmares. Her nightmare is literally the prologue and we're left still wondering why she's having it.

WARNINGS: Insinuation of sex (not descriptive), nudity, fist fights, a bit of gore.

I recommend this for lovers of dystopia, 14+.

I really enjoyed this book, but i will say that the Terra we meet at the beginning does not resemble the Terra we see by the end. Beginning Terra is a confident cage fighter that honestly is a bit scatterbrained and self absorbed. We see glimmers of that later, but mostly it seems to just disappear.
We see very little of her friends, until suddenly Sasha becomes very important. Still have no idea what happens to Damian. We kind of seem to forget he exists. I also dont understand why it was so important to drive home how creepy Eric is the first several times we see him, but later we are supposed to feel a connection to him. Really after the first few times, please stop calling Kallem the boy from her nightmares. We know. Plus it gives the impression that we should be scared of him. I get the first few times, it was supposed to reinforce where she recognized him from. After that, it's redundant and makes him sound like someone she is scared of "the boy from her nightmares grabbed her hand". That doesn't fit with the love she feels for him.
This is the beginning of a series, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out..

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book!

This book definitely kept me hooked until the end! I really wish I had read the previous books, although it isn't totally necessary to understand what is going on. It would have helped with a lot of things I'm still puzzled about.
I enjoyed the forbidden love aspect, and getting to know the characters. I did find Terra to be a bit cliche at times, and certain scenes had me rolling my eyes. All in all though, the story draws you in and keeps you wanting more.
I will definitely be going back and reading the previous series, and awaiting the next book in this series!

I enjoyed this book, wish I had read the others for a little more back story but can be read as a stand alone. it was original and unpredictable. I enjoyed the main character as flawed characters are the best kind. The story was good but as I said I wish I had read the others over all a very entertaining read.

I will be honest i didn't read this was a sequel and that is my fault. It would explain why I was lost and confused until I googled it. Might give this another go after I've read the first one.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

This was a SFF that I was looking forward to and I actually loved this book. The atmosphere was great and I loved the plot and storyline in the book. It could have moved faster in the story for me but other than that, I loved it. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

*Received ARC in exchange for an honest review*
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Rating: 4 Stars!

I actually really enjoyed this story! I just didn’t realize when I was reading the synopsis, etc. That the trilogy was already out😅

I really enjoyed the writing and the trilogy is for sure going on my tbr!

This book is an ok science fiction romp with cyborgs and well defined characters. I wouldn’t say it’s a fantastic read but it’s not at all bad, I enjoyed it.

So this is a book that has been on my radar but I wasn’t going to pick it up until I saw it being offered for review on YA Bound Blog Tours. The synopsis of After Darkness is really interesting, it gave me a mix of V for Vendetta and Lunar Chronicles with a massive dose of the Hunger Games vibes, I love V for Vendetta and Hunger Games but I feel really meh about the Lunar Chronicles so I am hoping this falls more towards V for Vendetta and Hunger Games than the Lunar Chronicles. So this world features both humans and cyborgs who are forbidden to interact but our protagonist Terra Underwood doesn’t understand this law, which is punishable by death. After Darkness opens with Terra having a dream about a boy with silver hair who she desperately tries to save but fails every time after being chased by a huge crow. I can already tell that the boy is someone she is going to meet later on in the book and might possibly be a love interest as well.


We learn very early on that Terra has a major problem with authority and this stems from the fact that her father is a very important political figure who has little time for his daughter. We haven’t seen anything from her mother as Terra lives with her grandmother making me think that the mother is absent or dead. Terra as a hobby and outlet for her aggression fights in an illegal underground place called the Pits which is located in the Undermarket. She has risen to become the best in her category after being trained by a cyborg named Hooky which may contribute to why Terra doesn’t understand why humans can’t have any contact with cyborgs and why they are segregated from human society. This novel feels very much like the Hunger Games but also have some elements from 1984 with the Big Brother is always watching aspect of this novel. On day in the Pits, Terra is paired up against a young cyborg male named Kalem who is the boy from her nightmares and while she tries to talk to him he seems to vanish whenever she is nearby.

As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, the Pits is raided by the Watchers, this world’s version of Peacekeepers, Terra, Kalem and her two friends, Sasha and Damien are caught up in it. Hooky manages to get Terra out but another cyborg Jimmy is killed and Hooky won’t leave his home, as she flees Terra runs into Kalem and after a few heated words throws her shoe at him reminding me of another scene but he takes in her and agrees to shelter her until the curfew is lifted. He makes her promise that she never speaks of what she sees or hears in his home which is full of cyborgs but she manages to get through his cold exterior a little by making jokes about their last names. That night she has the same nightmare she has been having for years and injuries herself but doesn’t say anything to Kalem about the nightmare. Later he walks her to the train station and she heads home where she is in major trouble with her grandmother but manages to lie about where she was. However, we learn that the cyborg leading Kalem’s family is an ex-government weapon of some sort and she has tasked Kalem with keeping Terra safe at all costs but we don’t know why since humans and cyborgs are forbidden to interact.

As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, Terra once again returns to Kalem’s home where she meets some of the other cyborgs but the minute she mentions her dreams she is sent to see their leader, Scarlet. Scarlet isn’t human and isn’t cyborg, she is something called an X-prototype which was created before the rebellion as a weapon, essentially she is immortal and can’t be killed but she knew Terra great-grandfather as they fought alongside one another and it may be the reason she is protecting Terra. However, Terra is the first being, human or cyborg to be able to see the monster that Scarlet carries with her and Scarlet explains she can see it because it saved her life a long time ago and it is also the reason she is blind in one eye. Terra disability isn’t something that bothers her at all in her daily life although she does wish it didn’t hamper her in the Pits. I liked this refreshing take on disability how it isn’t something that defines Terra, it is just a part of who she is and she lives with it and copes with it as any other person would. The pace really slows down, it seems to be trying to build a relationship between Terra and Kalem but I am not feeling any chemistry between them at the moment. The only thing of note that happens is that Terra tries to get back into the Undermarket to find Hooky only to be attacked by Wardens. Hooky is badly injured and they are rescued by Kalem and taken back to the cyborg house for him to be helped. We also get a brief relationship scene between Scarlet and Eric, which was strange as he hits on Terra a few times but it is implied that he is in love with Scarlet, so I don’t really know what is happening right now with the characters and their relationships.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, we get more development on Kalem and Terra’s friendship but I still don’t see them being a couple anywhere in the future. We also get more backstory on Terra, we learn that her mother was killed by Wardens for trying to prevent a cyborg child from being beaten. Her mother was shot and killed, Terra was also shot but she was saved by the monster Scarlet carries around with her and it is the reason why it won’t hurt Terra. However, when she returns home she finds that her grandmother has died and her father briefly returns home and we get to see that he values his work above everything even his daughter. Terra is also visited by Petra another X-Prototype who has captured Sasha and threatens to kill her unless Terra spies on Scarlet and the others for her. She doesn’t tell anyone but when she returns to the house she is sure that Scarlet knows what has happened. Kalem explains that there are 7 X-Prototypes in existence, one for each Capital. Petra and her brother Viktor run Capital One and the whole government. It turns out each X-prototype has an ability, Petra can control crows, Viktor can manipulate the minds of others, so he is responsible for Terra’s dreams and Scarlet can control fire. Terra thinks she will find the answers she wants in No Man’s Land and convinces Kalem to take her there. Scarlet is also leaving to get her brothers and sisters, presumably the other X-type to fight against Petra.

As we cross the halfway mark in the novel, Terra and Kalem escape into No Man’s Land but the terrain is hostile and nothing survives there, the cyborgs survive because they are stronger than humans and the effects on Terra are almost immediate but Kalem knows this place and navigates through it. We get the first kiss scene between Terra and Kalem and I wasn’t interested or invested in it at all so I just ignored it but Terra has been injured and she needs help from a friend Kalem has in No Man’s Land. We also learn from Scarlet that her sister Morgana left the world behind because she was activated meaning she had no free will and killed all of the Freedom Fighters and that she can never be forgiven. Scarlet informs her that one survived and he will forgive her if she returns and that person is Kalem. It seems that Kalem and Terra will be a key part in bringing the government down and I wasn’t really interested in that.

As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, there are few moments of tension but nothing much is happening. Terra and Kalem continue to navigate No Man’s Land looking for the Destroyer of Worlds, who most including Kalem believe to be a legend but Terra is convinced that she is real and they have to find her in order to bring down the government. The sex scene between Terra and Kalem was unexpected but I did appreciate it, there aren’t many authors willing to include sex scenes where the act itself is clearly stated rather than hidden behind smoke and mirror. However, I did prefer following Scarlet who has brought Morgana back with her but Eric, Camille and some of the other have been out killing Wardens which enrages Scarlet. When Eric tries to calm her down she almost kills him and it seems like the monster feeds off her emotions and if she isn’t in completely control of herself it can take over and make her lash out when she wouldn’t normally do that. She is searching for a way to get rid of it even if it kills her because killing someone would be the end of her.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, I wasn’t hopefully for a good ending, I was just hoping for a satisfying ending and the story didn’t provide that. The ending was the best part by far it was dark, gritty and really ramped up the stakes of this new series. Despite my hit or miss relationship with most of this book the ending redeemed it. I will be reading the Eternal Darkness series to get more integrated with this world and when I have the chance I will definitely be picking up After Darkness II to see what happens to the characters I have come to care for, even if I don’t really care for the romance.

3.5 stars

This is a nice little techno YA read in a futuristic setting where humans live alongside Cyborgs, but any interaction with between is forbidden. Seven different districts are ranging from the capital of the rich to cities and farmland strictly governed in this world. From what I gather, it is helpful to read the first three books to understand how these districts have developed, but it wasn’t an issue for me at all. I took it as is and the story worked just fine.

The main protagonist, Terra, lives is in the capital city and besides drawing, really enjoys fighting in the Pits, underground, secretly. Lately, she’s been plagued by nightmares and finds herself drawing about these terrible dreams with the recurring theme of a boy in it.

Terra is a tough one. She is half blind and does not shy away from trouble. When she meets the boy from those nightmares, it turns out, he is a Cyborg and a nice one at that! However, there are monsters in the darkness and together, they are thrust into a whirlwind of trouble and a journey across landscapes and personal growth. She finds out about some missing elements of her past, government experiments, and a cyborg rebellion.

Intertwined are their worlds and Terra is about to cross into the forbidden territory of love, secrets, and revenge.

***

This was a nice and easy-going read with an interesting backstory. Everything flowed well and made for a great YA dystopian read. I can definitely see someone jumping into this series and really devouring it. When I signed up for this review, I wasn’t aware that this is book four in the Eternal Darkness series (according to Goodreads), but it was just fine to understand and read as a stand-alone.

If Cyborgs are your thing in YA novels, you may want to give this one a try!

WARNING: This review contains spoilers.

"After Darkness" is the fourth book in this author's "Eternal Darkness" series, and although I didn't read the other books in the series beforehand, I still found this book easy to understand and follow along with. This story takes place in the year 2160, where humans and cyborgs live in the same world, but one of the rules of this world is that they are forbidden from interacting with each other. The prologue that introduces the book describes a nightmare that Terra Underwood, the main character, consistently has and remembers very vividly, and she deals with this and the anger she feels by participating in fights in an underground area called The Pits. In addition, Terra starts to see elements of this nightmare appear in her real life as she spends time with one of the other major characters in the story, Kalem Akuma, who is revealed to be a cyborg.

I like the relationship between the two main characters and how we see it develop throughout the course of the story, I think that some of the secondary characters (namely, Scarlet and Eric) have a really good relationship as well, which the story shows a lot of.

I haven’t read too many sci-fi books, but this book continued to interest me with its intriguing plot and the growing relationships between the characters. “After Darkness” is a very captivating book that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

I need to read the rest of this series. This book was ok as a standalone but I want to read more and see what else happens.

I enjoyed this book, the characters and the development of them. Terra was a strong female, especially mentally. She has secrets and holds her own, so yay! The romance between them was powerful and amazingly written. I enjoyed it!

There was some things that i found repetitive in the story that just stuck there like...hmm, really? Why did this happen so many times? From Terra getting hurt so many times as to why is here when it does nothing for the plot.

It was over all a good book, I just feel like I missed a lot.