Review: Defy the Dark by Various Authors

Defy the Dark by Various Authors

The seventeen original stories in Defy the Dark, an eerie, mind-bending YA anthology, could only take place in darkness.
 
Open the pages and discover: A creepy guy who stares too long. The secrets of the core of the earth. Dreams of other people’s lives. A girl who goes mad in the darkness. Monsters in Bavaria. A generational spaceship where night doesn’t exist. And other mysteries and oddities.
 
The contributors to the enthralling collection are: Sarah Rees Brennan, Tessa Gratton, Rachel Hawkins, Christine Johnson, Valerie Kemp, Malinda Lo, Myra McEntire, Saundra Mitchell, Sarah Ockler, Jackson Pearce, Aprilynne Pike, Dia Reeves, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, Jon Skovron, Courtney Summers, and Kate Espy, winner of the Defy the Dark new author contest.

Pages: 480

Format: E-Book

Published By: HarperTeen

Genre: Young Adult - Urban Fantasy
Series: Across the Universe

Rating:

✮✮✮

Review:

Sleepstalk by Courtney Summers: ✮✮✮
This was a twisted little story that revolved around a young girl stalking someone, as the title eludes to. It was a decent book, but I couldn't stand the girl, because she was very disturbing, and her thoughts were pretty twisted. All in all, not a bad story.

Nature by Aprilynne Pike: ✮✮✮
I enjoyed Nature, it was amazing and a fast read... and not at all scary or dark in any way. Nature takes place in the future in a post-apocalyptic world... the setting is the only thing "dark" about this story. It's more about a girl discovering how she can be happy in a world that she didn't want to be apart of. No monsters, no dark twists, no creepy thoughts, nothing... just a simple story about a girl, but a good story.

Dark Side of the Moon by Dia Reeves: ✮✮
So I wasn't really expecting anything from this story, mostly because I had no idea what it was about before reading it, but I can say one thing... it fell short of being a great story. I didn't connect with the main character, couldn't stand any of the supporting characters, and at the times where I believed it was going to get creepy, it didn't. Honestly, I feel like there was so much about this story that I felt was pointless, it didn't add to the story at all. If the story had been on the trolley (which I feel was supposed to be the main point's setting - unless I missed the actual point) for the majority rather than just a few pages (on my kindle), I think it would have been more developed, and the story could have been flushed out to be more creepy and twisted. Instead, we are left with not much action or horror, and characters that I couldn't stand. This story had so much potential that I feel was wasted.

Ghost Town by Malinda Lo: ✮✮
Ghost Town was an ok story, not as thrilling or scary as I was expecting it to be. I was also expecting more focus on a ghost, which there is, but not at the level that I was expecting. I, personally, wasn't a fan of the way the story progressed back in time. I just feel like the level of excitement decreased each time we moved to an earlier time of the day. I feel that this story had so much potential, which the first time (out of three) lived up to that, but then it just went downhill from there, and the potential was wasted.

Eyes in the Dark by Rachel Hawkins: ✮✮✮✮

This short story by Rachel Hawkins was intriguing. It started off somewhat slow, but as the story progressed, it picked up the pace. I didn't know what to expect as I was reading this, and even though I wasn't expectecting to be happy with the ending (considering that this story should be "dark"), the ending wasn't a favorite of mine, but I felt that it did do the story justice. I wasn't a super fan of the characters, but at the same time, I didn't not like them. Although, there were times where I wanted to give them both a few shakes for being stupid.

Still Water by Valerie Kemp: ✮✮✮
Interesting. That really sums up this short story. I was not expecting what the story was about. I was actually expecting more of a... ghost storyish (just based on an aspect in the story). This was anything but. I thought both of the characters were likable. I don't know how I feel about what happened between them, but that's just me. Overall, a nice, quick read.

I Gave You My Love by the Light of the Moon by Sarah Rees Brennan: ✮✮✮✮
What a cute little story. I loved Berthe and Stephen, and how their story unvraveled for them. This story, I felt, was more about acceptance and learning to live with the changes that come rather than a story full of action or horror. It was dark in the sense of paranoraml aspects, but not really dark in the aspect of scary or twisted.

Night Swimming by Beth Revis: ✮✮✮
I enjoyed this litte short story sent in the Across the Universe Universe, and getting to know the characters and the background of the Godspeed more, it adds more to the story with just a handful of pages. This story was a little slow for me, but it was still a good story. It was a good addition to the series.

Sunflower Murders by Kate Epsey: ✮✮✮
I thought this was a decent story, but it was over too quickly, and there really wasn't any time to start to care about the main character. My first impression of her was negative, she was a jerk, and the story was too short for her to redeem herself. Even though she obviously regretted the choice she had made, it didn't change how I felt about her. The story also wasn't scary or creepy at all, just sad.

Almost Normal by Carrie Ryan: ✮✮✮
Almost Normal was a quick read about friends trapped in a zombie-infested park. It wasn't a bad story but it wasn't the greatest either. At moments it was sad, but it wouldn't be a zombie story without some sadness. I didn't really connect with any of he characters, and I do t know how I feel about the ending. It wasn't bad, but there was something about the way it happened that I didn't like.

There's Nowhere Else by Jon Skovron: ✮✮✮
This was an interesting story, but it took a weird turn more than halfway through and I don't know how I, personally, feel about that. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting when the turn happened.

Naughty or Nice by Myra McEntire: ✮✮✮✮
I loved Naughty or Nice. I find the story or legend of Krampus to be quite interesting, and I think this story did a great job of bringing Krampus to life. I wish it had been longer and Krampus had been much more active in the story, but it was still a wonderful, and quick read. I also really enjoyed both Bex and Henry.

Shadowed by Christine Johnson: ✮✮✮✮
I really enjoyed this story. I wasn't thrilled with the ending, but I at the same time I thougth that it was different than expected, and it wasn't horrible. I really enjoyed the setting: medieval, which means knights, and Sir Rylan was pretty awesome. I enjoyed the way the story flowed, and the uniquesness of the story itself.

Now Bid Time Return by Saundra Mitchell: ✮✮✮✮
This was an interesting story. Still not exactly sure what happened at the end. All I know is that it is not a ghost story. I really liked both characters, and thought the setting was different from what I am used to.

Moth and the Spider by Sarah Ockler: ✮✮
So... I don't know how I feel or what I think about this one. It was kind of weird. I do t understand the point of Theresa. She was just there, she didn't really add anything to the story in my opinion. I thought the ending was decent, better than what he alternative could have been.

Where the Light Is by Jackson Pearce: ✮✮✮
This was an interesting. It was very original and I thought the setting was different from your average YA book. I liked the characters, and I though the concept of "Knockers" was very unique. 

This Was Ophelia by Tessa Gratton: ✮
This one wasn't a favorite of mine. I didn't really connect with either Ophelia or Hal, and there were parts in the beginning where I wasn't exactly positive of what was going on which just kind of ruined the whole story for me.