Darkness Before Dawn 
Darkness Before Dawn, Book #1
By J.A. London
ISBN# 9780062020659
Author’s Website: http://www.jalondon.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Autumn

Synopsis:

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters….

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series. (Goodreads)

Review:

Dawn Montgomery knows tragedy on an intimate level.  Her parents and brother were violently murdered by vampires when she was a small child.  It is the time of the New World Order.  A world in which vampires have revealed themselves and now rule ruthlessly over humans.  They demand that everyone donate blood to keep them adequately fed and if enough isn’t offered, they wage war by killing the innocent.

Dawn is appointed the Delegate for Denver.  The city is now ensconced by a wall that is designed to keep the vampires at bay. According to the VampHu, a peace agreement between the vampires and humans, the delegate is to meet with the leaders of the vampire families and ensure the vampires are placated.  It’s a position that is forced upon her, as her parents were Delegates before her.

She travels outside the walls upon request to meet with Lord Valentine, the leader of the ruling vampire family.  He is known to be ruthless in his dealings with humans and never takes no for an answer.

Dawn despises vampires.  She longs for the day when she will be able to revenge her lost loved ones.  Her best friend, Tegan and boyfriend, Michael are all that keep her sane.  Until she meets Victor.

Victor Valentine is the son of Lord Valentine himself.  After he saves Dawn and Tegan from a vicious attack, Dawn can’t seem to stop thinking of him.  Victor soon proves that he not what he might seem.  Is it possible that there is a vampire that Dawn can really trust?  Does she dare trust him with her heart?

I have to admit that I picked this up because the cover was beyond brilliant.  The story inside proved to be as well.  It kept me biting my nails to the very end and I was so relieved when the first chapter of the next installment, Blood Kissed Sky, was included at the end.

The writing is engaging, the characters are layered and story moves at an incredible pace.  I am usually quite skeptical of dystopian novels, but this one held me captive from cover to cover.  This will be a trilogy with the next book due out in December.  I simply can’t wait…