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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I wanted to like this book so much!!, January 2, 2010
This review is from: Dark Legacy (Paranormal Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
I just finished Anna DeStefano's Dark Legacy. It has all the hallmarks of a great parnormal romance "read", the raven flitting through stark, naked tree branches on the cover, the heroine's hair blowing dramatically across her beautiful face, a recommendation from Lori Handeland...what could be better to curl up with on a cold winter's night? The first five chapters raced...the mysterious command "Die!" helping the suspense along. However, at about chapter ten, I stopped caring about the characters, the story, and started thinking how repetitious and convoluted the plot was getting.
I got it the first time that Maddie was being driven crazy by the mind link with her twin Sarah. I didn't need to re-visit the psychotic break down every chapter. I get it that Jarred loves her and wants to help her, I didn't need to hear the same phrase "Stay with me, don't let her control you..you are in control now" every chapter, either.
Furthermore, if Anna DeStefano insists in making her characters "near genius" and "ER trauma specialists" she has to instill a bit of the logical scientist in them as well. Why don't they more adequately explore all possibilities instead of just bursting into institutions and demanding to see people? I know it might not be very sexy to show people doing research over the keyboard or in a library, but a good writer could do it! There was so much crashing, and bashing, and screaming, and yelling, and people being choked to death using mind control...that the book just toppled over into video game violence for me.
There were snatches of the book that were interesting, but in the main, I thought Anna DeStefano just didn't flesh out Maddie or Sarah or Jarred enough. In the end, this book was just another modern gothic suspense novel...but no where near as compelling and interesting as say... Daphne du Maurier (read her book Rebecca).
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Psychic Suspense (3 1/2 stars), September 17, 2009
This review is from: Dark Legacy (Paranormal Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
Born with an extraordinary psychic link to each other, twin sisters Sarah and Maddie discover a secret piece of paper when they were little girls hinting at a legacy. But mom, in her state of denial, disposes of the paper and swears the two girls to forget what they read, it's just a silly myth. Eventually the two sisters grow into teenagers who despise each other. For Sarah seemed evil and on a path of destruction, where as Maddie was all that was good. Then one night a tragic car accident killed Maddie's and Sarah's father, and left Sarah in a coma. To Maddie it was like a blessing having the psychic connection severed from her sister.
Ten years later, all seemed to be going well for Maddie. Until three months ago nightmares began to haunt her in the dark hours of the night. Maddie is on the verge of a mental break-down and with the help of Jarred, a psychiatrist at the hospital she is an ER doctor at, Maddie turns to her mom, insisting, demanding answers to the truth about her and her sister be revealed. And no matter how much protest Maddie spouts against Jarred, he still insists on helping her. Because as strange as it sounds, he senses vaguely the strange things with Maddie, the way she can sense other peoples feelings and get inside their heads. Jarred being a psychiatrist only spurs him on to explore and help Maddie deal with whatever is causing her to mentally shatter piece by piece.
The unnatural and perplexing connection between the two sisters was fascinating and eerily written. But less than halfway into it, it seemed repetitive with the questions and the conversations between Maddie and her mom, and the episodes when things become critical with Maddie and Sarah within their minds. The length almost felt forced, I think everything could have culminated sooner than it did. For me, the suspense and build up began to fall short and I just wanted to know what the Legacy was, and have the answers to other questions.
Overall, I thought it was a near edge your seat suspense. I enjoyed the delicate yet intense bond between Maddie and Sarah. I would liked to have had some of the dream sequences eliminated to focus more on the relationship between them prior to the car accident. I just didn't feel a strong connection with either sister. I liked the relationship between Maddie and Jarred as it was explored and enhanced during Maddie's break-down, how he was there for her, keeping her strong with his warmth and determination to help her.
I do have my reservations with the execution of Dark Legacy, but by the way this one ended I would have to assume there is going to be a second book exploring more of the legacy . And if there is one then I will no doubt pick it up.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark Legacy by Anna de Stefano, October 12, 2009
This review is from: Dark Legacy (Paranormal Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
Very fast paced. It was a good story, but it went almost too fast for me. I wish there would have been time for more character back story- especially about the romantic connection between heroine and leading man. I also think there wasn't enough chemistry between them.
Other than that, it was an entertaining read and a very unique premise. Psychic powers, Government conspiracies, and an old family curse... you can't go wrong with that!
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