3 February 2016

Review #333: The Black Lotus (Night Flower #1) by Claire Warner



My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.”

----Johann Wolfgang von Goethe



Claire Warner, an English writer, has penned an enchanting tale of magic, immortality and love, in her book, The Black Lotus which is the first book in the Night Flower series. This story unfolds the forbidden regency styled romance between a young debutante and a mysterious bachelor in town and on top of that the story has elements of mystery, magic and is set in the early eighteenth century .





Synopsis:

It's 1752 and Melissa meets the man who will change her life forever. At her disastrous debut, Melissa meets the handsome Justin Lestrade and finds herself falling into his world. But Justin has secrets and many enemies. His dark past will not only ensnare her, but damage everything she knows and understands. Join Melissa as she sinks into a world of old feuds and ancient magic.


Melissa is a debutante who is all set to settle down with a nice, handsome man. Her parents have high hopes for her. But when a mysterious and handsome stranger named, Justin comes to town, things get worse as well as passionately romantic for Melissa's tough heart. This man bears a lot of dark secrets that are terribly dangerous if anyone gets too close to him. Despite of her parents' and others' reluctance, Melissa falls for the bad boy. Will Melissa's love for Justine throw her into the face of danger and death?

The story is thoroughly mystifying and with an eloquent style of author's writing , makes this story even more delectable. And not to mention the narrative style is equally captivating and free-flowing that will only keep the readers glued till the end of the book. There are lots of elements of mystery that will ultimately keep the readers guessing till the very last page. Although the story opens bit slow, but soon catches up pace, once Justin's dark secrets start to unravel.

The world building and the setting of a 18th-century era is done vividly by the author. The author not only captures the timeline but also draws a majestic and striking picture filled with those era's society and its norms, the fashion, the attitude of the people, in short capturing all the tiny details of that time period that will only make the readers feel like they are transported in that era.

The characters are really well-developed, from the supporting cast to the main characters, each one of them holds an air of class and grace. The main character, Melissa is projected as someone who is rebellious and brave and is someone who can strongly walk against society's norms and regulations. Moreover, when Melissa is thrown into danger, she used her head wisely to make certain decisions. And with the plot, Melissa will grow more on the readers. Justin is yet another likable character of the book whose seductive charms make the story quite forbidden yet attractive. He has killer looks and a dangerous past but his intentions are noble, and with a strong back story, it will only help the readers to contemplate with him.

The romance depicted between Melissa and Justin is like love at first sight yet the development in their hearts growing fonder for one another is done with lot of time and gradually with Justin's each move. Well the mystery is so deep and dark, that it will not only keep the readers hooked onto it till the very end, but will also make them vouch for the next book in the series. In a nutshell, this is a dark yet poignant paranormal and historical fantasy.

Verdict: If you're a huge fan of historical fantasy filled romance then don't miss out on this book.

Courtesy: I received a copy of the book from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
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Author Info:
By day I am a boring civil servant, but by night (and at weekends) I write stories. I love fiction, I love the way that words can draw you from your own everyday world.

I love to read. As a child I read all of the Enid Blyton books and devoured Roald Dahl. As a teenager, I discovered LJ Smith, Anne McCaffrey, Tamora Pierce, David Eddings and went through the phase of reading Point Horrors. As an adult, I found Kelley Armstrong, Raymond E Feist, Georgette Heyer, The Brontes, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Sheridan La Fanu and Henry James. I cannot imagine live without books.

So I have began to write for myself. My characters live in my head and from time to time they want to live in other peoples as well. I want to share them with you and I hope you love them as much as I do.
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