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Darkroom (Darkroom Saga Book 1) Kindle Edition
Shauna is abducted by the angel of Vengeance. Using torture, he breaks her, forcing her to reform and adapt. When he frees her, she flees. Thinking she's escaped her stalker and tormentor, she lets her guard down.
Then she meets Victor. Someone who seems sympathetic to her pain. Strong, loving, she learns to trust again by falling in love with this enigmatic neighbour.
Vengeance hasn't let go. She's living with him, loving him, trusting him, never doubting him. In love, can she reform Victor, the way he reformed her?
A religious psychological horror.
Graphic: Adults Only
Contains: Sex, Nudity, Violence, Strong Language
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateMarch 28, 2016
- File size2069 KB
Editorial Reviews
Review
From the Author
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B01DKVAGHM
- Publication date : March 28, 2016
- Language : English
- File size : 2069 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 366 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,340,079 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #3,358 in Erotic Thrillers (Kindle Store)
- #4,874 in Erotic Suspense (Kindle Store)
- #6,149 in Erotic Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
International bestselling author, Poppet writes romantic horror, romantic comedy, non-fiction, paranormal romance, and is currently published with Wild Wolf Publishing and Eibonvale Press.
Poppet was first published in Mobius Poetry Magazine, and then spent years writing magazine articles before turning her attention to writing fiction, seeing her reach the number 1 spot on Authonomy - run by Harper Collins. Interviewed by journalist David Kentner, Poppet gained exposure across North America with the release of her debut novel Darkroom. Previously published by Night Publishing, Tirgearr Publishing, Endaxi Press, and Thorstruck Press, Poppet now has more than 50 titles to her credit.
Endorsements:
Poppet writes with a cinematic feel - author Ron Knight, founder of 9 Minute Books and UP Authors
The central premise of a woman being emotionally and in some ways physically abused by her partner is interesting and holds the reader’s attention. ~ Harper Collins UK editor
Customer reviews
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Having said that, I totally understand why James Crow would say Poppet is one of his favorite authors, as the writing is absolutely mind-blowing. I'm blown away by the intelligence of this author. Brilliant brilliant brilliant!!!!!!! As soon as I finished I grabbed book 2 then book 3 and now off to buy book 4, I cant stop discussing this book. Thank you Poppet for a different, dark, frightening amazing story. 5 big massive stars from me
The shifts between characters messed with my head a bit, and I was constantly wondering if Vengeance and Victor are one in the same. The words were constantly making me unsure. At the end of Chapter 20, it became obvious that there were bigger things happening behind the scenes and the watcher was actually being watched. I didn't know what to trust in this book and felt as if I were always looking over my shoulder.
It was incredible how Victor was able to manipulate her any which way he chose. As Shauna talked to Victor while struggling to piece together information, I was so afraid for her.
Chapter 35 had my head spinning with all the possibilities as some interesting information came to light. Shauna's thoughts and emotions were often all over the place. At times she would have a fleeting glimpse of a thought that Victor was not all that he appeared, but then it would be gone just as quickly as it came. Her mental state throughout made me feel off-kilter as well. I loved how Poppet had created a story that had my mind all twisted up over and over again. The ending was crazy enough, but the chapter with the alternate ending really had me freaking out. I need more and I need it now.
Despite the dark nature of the plot, Poppet somehow manages to create a love story that has you rooting for the couple to survive. This book will have you questioning your own emotions as you grapple with the idea that despite Victor's abuse and torture of Shauna, at one point he has actually begun to truly love her. At least that was my interpretation of the story. As for Shauna, I felt very conflicted as I watched her fall into his manipulative hands, and despite knowing it was truly wrong in a sense, hoped she would end up with him in a blissful state of naive acceptance.
Poppet's writing style is not be paralleled. It utterly amazed me that an author could be describing such dark and violent events in a way that almost sounded poetic. Her use of scripture throughout the book added a wonderful dynamic to the story, and the way she started each chapter with a meaningful quote or bible verse was a brilliant way to set the mood for each one. She has earned an ardent fan in me with this gripping tale.
Top reviews from other countries
It opens with Shauna captive to the wicked Vengeance, who it appears is on a mission from God to cleanse this 'dirty angel'. The wearing of jeans is deemed a sin worthy of the most cruel and graphic violence and sexual manipulation. On her release, Shauna is shunned by all her nearest and dearest, and put down as delusional. She runs away to South Africa and soon continues her carefree lifestyle of before, only to once again suffer at the hands of Vengeance. A one-night stand is blown up outside her apartment; another supposedly commits suicide, leading to her best friend cutting her out of her life. Every aspect of her life is coloured by the hand of Vengeance, who justifies his actions as the duty from a higher authority.
When it appears Shauna can suffer no more, we are introduced to her neighbour, Victor, and at times the narrative dips into romance, but it is always laced with a good does of horror. Of course Victor is really Vengeance and continues to manipulate every area of her life, using his Darkroom to monitor her every move. When she steps out of line, he again dons the attire of Vengeance and subjects her to such a violent abusive attack, that she comes close to death. What the author does so expertly is switch the POV and put you right in the mind of the protagonists. I found myself almost pantomime-like shouting out 'NO!' at times as we are privy to the most intimate thoughts of Shauna and Victor / Vengeance. Upon realising the severity of his attack on Shauna, I thought briefly Victor was going to change, see the error of his ways and realise he really loved her. I am sure that this was the intention of the author, before throwing you completely off with wicked twist after wicked twist.
Towards the end of the novel, you do find out more about Victor / Vengeance and this is where the constant quotations from the bible resonate most. We find out very early on that he is an avenging angel, a Jesus-like chosen one, with an omniscient Father, but it is when his disciples appear (Peter and Seth being two) that a lot of the pieces suddenly slot into place. Not since the epic Moby Dick with Captain Ahab's biblical tussle, has a novel used references to the bible so powerfully. I actually found myself digging out a copy and researching the phrases used.
As earlier reviews have warned, Darkroom is in places not an easy book to read - the violence is unwavering and the imagery is incredibly dark. But you must, you absolutely must, because it is an exhilarating ride and the pages turn effortlessly. I found myself thinking I had worked out the ending, only to be thrown off course by an ingenious twist or turn, which makes you read on. Thought provoking is not even close to what Darkroom is. It is as close to an 'unputdownable' book as I have read!
When I did the reach the end, I found myself out of breath. The adrenaline was truly flowing, I had become so engaged and involved with the characters. At times I actually rooted for Victor, as the lines between good and evil became blurred, but deep down I knew what he had done and it repulses and shocks in equal measure. The culmination of the novel leaves one last, truly wicked twist with the publication of two alternative endings. I read and enjoyed both, although without giving it all away, I chose the first. Maybe it's the romantic in me, maybe it's the belief in redemption, maybe it was simply the fact that I had lived out a couple of intense days with these remarkable characters and come to love them. Lots of maybes, but the one thing that is far from a maybe is that Poppet has crafted an incredible book, one that should be read by all. I recommend this book most highly.
I can honestly say this is the only book I've ever read where I've genuinely hoped the heroine would commit suicide. Not just a bit either, I was there with my Kindle rooting for her. 'Please do it, end it, please!!! You have to get out of this!! Death is the best way!' but it got me like that. I'd think about it when I wasn't reading, and reading it was a compulsively twitchy, unpleasant but addictive kind of affair.
This book is executed with great style. It's very well written, it's got atmosphere pouring from it and it's dark as dark gets. If that's your bag you should read it, and you will love it. I loved it, but I'm not sure I would want to read it again. Not yet anyway, I'm still scrubbing it off my skin from the last time. Still, despite the horror and the mixed emotional response to this very original piece, it's got so much soul pouring from it's spurting black heart that it's a 5* from me.
If you like dark then definitely give this one a read, just don't blame me if you're sleeping with the light on after!
Erm...
Give me a minute to collect my thoughts...
I’m not entirely sure what to say about this book because it has seriously messed with my head.
It’s dark. It’s twisted. It’s one hell of a mind #### and truthfully I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel right now.
I’ve never and I do mean never had a book mess with my head like this one has.
There’s so much manipulation in this book, manipulation that affects Shauna as well as the reader (me). It’s so flipping clever that I couldn’t figure anything out (so not me). Victor is... well honestly, manipulation aside he’s hot but he’s also seriously deranged, like all the screws loose deranged but damn if I don’t find myself loving him... see told you the story manipulated my mind as much as Shauna’s.
Nope this isn’t going to be the book for everyone but it’s so worth a read just so you too can experience how much it messes with your head.