The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Received: borrowed
Publication date: May 27th 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genres & Themes: YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Demons, Ghosts, Romance.
BLURB:
Paige Kelly is used to weird–in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn’t fazed by Paige’s propensity to chat with the dead. Suddenly, Paige is smack in the middle of a centuries-old battle between warlocks and demons, learning to fight with a magic sword so that she can defend herself. And if she makes one wrong move, she’ll be pulled into the Dark World, an alternate version of our world that’s overrun by demons-and she might never make it home.
REVIEW:
While I enjoyed Spellbound by the same author, this was just…one of the worst books I’ve read this year.
I’m a champion eye roller. I could go Olympic level with my talent.
Obviously, I had a problem with the main character. She sounded to me so arrogant and had, except for being a good friend, nothing I would enjoy in a main character or character at all. You may find her qualities and maybe I could too, if I overcome this annoyance I have…I mean had (let’s not keep a grudge here) toward her, but I’m absolutely not interested in doing that.
Another thing I didn’t like about her is that she is so NEGATIVE. Proof:
There was no point in getting my hopes up. I was destined to check ”forever alone” under my relationship status for the rest of my life.
Seriously?! You’re young, how can you talk like that? She hasn’t even had her heart broken so there is no point and no excuses for her to say things like that. It was just so eye roll-worthy.
Since we’re at it, here is another example of how what Paige says doesn’t make sense at all. I can’t believe she said this:
I’d kept my long dark hair pulled in front of my face, trying to hide, trying to not make eye contact with anyone as they whispered stories of my imagined conversations.(Really? You think you’re ALWAYS the center of attention, Paige? *rolls eyes*)Well, if I was also going to be considered a freak show at my new school, I might as well own it.
I.Can’t.Believe.She.Said.That.
I promise I stop criticizing her after this:
”Everything’s fine,” I interrupted him, agitated. ”I just finished a week of midterms, Dad. What do you want from me, jazz hands? Show me someone who gets thrilled about midterms and I’ll show you a masochist.”
What the…? It doesn’t even make sense! And how can she talk like that to one of her parents? I may not ALWAYS be an angel with mines but I would never ever say something like that.
Also, the writing wasn’t appealing to me at all. I felt like the author was concentrating too much on descriptions or emotions and as well as writing things that weren’t necessary at all. Plus, some sentences were really weird and took me some time to comprehend. For example:
I kicked a coffee-stained paper cup into the gutter, where it rested on top of a stubborn mound of soot-covered snow that refused to melt.
Are things like that really important for us to know?
So yeah, I didn’t enjoy myself at all. I did skim to be honest but only because I promised myself I wouldn’t DNF a book this month. Although, if I hadn’t challenged myself that way, I, without any doubt, would have DNFed this story at 30%.
If the main character sounds to you like one you would enjoy reading about, then I would say go for it, you will probably enjoy this book. At least much much more than I did (since 10% is easy to beat.) Yes, I did enjoy 10% of the book. I liked the scenes in which Paige and her ghost friend, Dottie, talked to each other, before all the drama started, but that’s a very small part of the book.
PS. The romance: predictable + cheesy + very far in the book = KILL ME NOW.
View all my reviews on Goodreads.
Ugh, she is such a downer. No thank you
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No thank you indeed.
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Ick I am afraid if I read this I might strain my eyes from the workout it sounds like it would get from this one. Sorry this one was so horrible. I think we need these bad reads every now and then though to really appreciate the good ones. 😉
Hope your next read is/was better!
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Yeah, maybe we do! I know I’m liking my current read very muc (and it might be because of that??) Thank you! 🙂
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The main character doesn’t sound very likeable… It’s sad you’re not very lucky with your books but at last I know that I need to forget about them lol. I’m sorry it wasn’t for you lady, I really hope your next book will be better.
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At least I’m warning some people yeah haha. Thank yu, my current book is much much better! xx
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I just finished my worst read of the year, so I definitely do NOT need to top that with this one. Too much cheese is never a good thing (except if you’re eating poutine). Thanks for the honest review, and for doing the dirty work for me. Happy Friday!
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POUTINE! HA. 😉 That one was good, very good. Lol, it’s all for you people, saving your time. Thank you!
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Whoah. She’s such a Debbie Downer! Ugh, sorry you didn’t like this Lola. This is why main characters are so important, they affect our reading a lot. Amirite?? 😀 The cover looks so cool though!
Awesome review, Lola!! 🙂
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Amirite?? What’s that? Thank you, she was awful! xx Yeah cover’s not bad!
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It sounds like the author tried a bit too hard to make the main character seem angsty and ‘relatable’ but it backfired. Like, I could relate to some of her qualities, like the sarcasm about midterms, but not to THAT extent, where it becomes rude, ya know? I typically avoid ghost stories (they really freak me out) unless I’m in the mood to be terrified, so I probably wouldn’t have read this to begin with, but now I definitely not be reading this. Great review! 🙂
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It’s not a ghost story since there are only two ghost in the story and they’re secondary characters BUT I understand if they freak you out and stuff. 😉 Thank you and, yeah, IT BACKFIRED.
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Oh god *shakes head* this one does not sound like something i’d be able to stomach. No thank you! I think i’d hurl this book across the room because of all the angst i’d suffer through reading it,
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Hhahhah!! I wanted to but I’m not violent with books lol. 😉
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UGH THIS SUCKS. I got this from Netgalley and now I don’t want to be anywhere near it. Negative characters always annoy me, and she is extra annoying because SHE”S JUST A TEEN. Why is she complaining right now? UGH. Plus cheesy romance is so not my thing. GOSH.
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Oh no!!! I’m not very familiar with NetGalley but are you like obliged to read every book you request? 😛
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Well you’re not obliged per se… but it does hurt your review ratio and your review ratio IS what publishers look for when approving your request. My ratio is so low xD
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Me too…It’s like 40% ahahahha….
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She sounds like kind of a bitch. I have a hard time with bitchy characters like that, especially when they’re the MCs and I’m supposed to be rooting for them as I follow their story.
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Yeah we could say that. Though there is one bitch in the story…huh.
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I do so love the tone of your post. They eye rolls are brilliant. I honestly wouldn’t have read The Dark World in the first place (blurb makes it sound like City of Bones, which I only have mild interest in reading). But I appreciate your detailing the reasons I needn’t bother anyway.
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Hahahha thanks! And, yeah, it had multiple similarities with City of Bones!! But didn’t include them because I believe many reviewers did already.
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Ugh, this sounds terrible. Love your new banner btw!!!!
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I don’t what background to choose though. 😦 😦 😦
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Maybe something with one color? Something that fits one of the colors in your banner?
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Do you like the new style? 😛
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Yes, I really like your banner! My sister is drawing me one right now 😀
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Oh cool!! But I also changed the theme.
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Yes, I saw. It fits with your color scheme! Oh, you just removed the background! The banner does pop more in the black/white theme!
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Thanks 😀 Yeah, I tried many things. xd
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Thanks for the tip, but no thanks 😉
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XD
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haha nice review! I liked all the quotes you included. I’m sorry you didn’t like the book, at least you didn’t buy it. I hope you have better luck with your next book. 🙂
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That’s what I always tell myself: ”At least I didn’t buy it,” XD Thank you, Molly!
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Oh no! That sucks that you didn’t enjoy this book! I actually really loved it! But hey, they say no two people ever read the same story… or however that saying goes, LOL. And props for being honest! That’s what counts! 🙂
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Really?? It had so many similarities to THI also. Well, yes, and it’s nice to see that some people enjoy books we don’t. Need balance in the world lol.
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THI… what is that?? i feel like I should know but my brain can’t think right now, LOL. But I totally get it! I hate when two books are similar! I remember when I read Half-Blood by JLA I remember thinking that it was WAY too similar to Vampire Academy… except instead of vampires you have daimones and gods.
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Oh lol it’s The Mortal Instruments. ^^ And yeah I heard that about the Half-Blood series but imma still try it out…since I bought it in paperback.
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Oh I’m so bummed! I really wanted to read this one, but I have a feeling I would have the same problem with the main character 😦 Too bad. I may still check it out because I had wanted to read it so badly, but I’ll wait a bit longer now. Great review 😦
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Thanks 🙂 Aww, then I hope you’ll enjoy it! Just keep in mind that there are many similarities to City of Bones!
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