There’s no wrath like that of a witch scorned.Seventeen-year-old spirit witch Ava López is the self-appointed guardian of the witches and humans of Darkhaven, an idyllic village nestled between the forest and the sea. Her watch: vicious and bloodthirsty vampires.Ava is a novice in the eyes of her coven. If she expects to protect them and the secrecy of their powers, she must gain better control … powers, she must gain better control of her own. When a full moon ritual goes awry, control may be lost forever, and Ava is exiled from her coven. Forced to seek refuge among the beings she had always sworn herself to hunt, she vows revenge on those who have upended her life.
But the more time Ava spends away from her coven, the more she discovers a startling truth: the witches haven’t been honest with her. Ava’s quest to strip the truth from everything she’s ever known begins with the toughest realization of all—coming to terms with who she has become.
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I opened this book and fell into the pages—Alice in Wonderland style. I was hooked. Hooked, I tell you. Danielle Rose has created this interesting and intriguing world that I was utterly immersed in and I loved every second. I couldn’t put it down (apart from those moments where it was a must). I am so excited to read more in this world and see where this story goes. Now, about the ending, it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated, I didn’t have an OMG what? Moment. It felt very natural to end it there.
Ava Lopez is a seventeen-year-old girl, like most girls her age, she’s starting to come to terms with who she is and the life she wants. She’s feeling restricted by her mother’s rules and wants to break free of those shackles and do want she feels is right. Sneaking out at night doesn’t seem such a big deal, except, Ava isn’t any ordinary teenager and she’s not sneaking out to hang with her friends or meet a boy. No, she’s a spirit witch and is going to hunt vampires. It’s what her coven does, protect the town of Darkhaven from their biggest threat: Vampires. But, sneaking out is about to be the biggest mistake of her life, with disastrous consequences. Ava is cast out and has to learn to live a completely different life. With the beings, she’s been groomed to hate. I loved the dynamics. The action…which started early on. We see and experience that animosity between the two kinds and it gives us a little insight into how the coven is made up.
I loved the way Ava is. There were times that I was cringing and wanted to shake her, but It’s easy to understand her actions and thought processes because of her age. Watching her learn and grow, and begin to understand was a key part of the story. She’s experienced a lot of loss and I think it would be foolish to not expect her to try and fix things…in a way. It definitely gripped me and I felt we were learning with her. Jasik is a vampire who is determined to help Ava navigate these new waters and their bond is strong. I have high hopes for those two but time will tell if it happens. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the rift between the witches and vampires and seeing how Ava adjusts to her new life. I can’t wait to see where Danielle takes it.
I have questions, many questions. It did feel at times that I was missing something, that I needed more development in areas, however, I think that is part of the setup for this story. This is only book one and I believe it’s a five-book series. I am hoping the questions and development will be addressed in the next book…or books. Maybe Danielle Rose is playing the long game. This is a quick read, for reference, the audiobook is just over 5 hours.
I honestly was not too sure what I was going to get when I signed up for this book. I have read a few of the authors contemporary books and adored the storyline and the authors writing. With Dark Secret, Danielle Rose gives us such a unique and spellbinding tale that is so unique that you cannot put it down at all. I fell in love with Ava and her character. Her spunk and her need to protect the ones she loves. There are some interesting moments that leave you with a ton of questions and I am really looking forward to what else will come of this series.
An enjoyable look at Darkhaven and their Supernatural secrets. Danielle gives you interesting characters in Ava Lopez and Jasik.
I believe that this will become an addicting Series.
Dark Secret is the first book in the Dark Haven saga by Danielle Rose. This is a YA paranormal series centred on Ava Lopez, a teenage witch who spends her nights patrolling the streets of her home town, defending the unsuspecting citizens against vampire attack – think a latin Buffy with magic but minus the scooby gang. Things go bad for Ava one night when she captures the attention of a vengeful vampire leading to an attack on her coven. Ava suddenly finds herself having to rely on the enemy if she’s to stand any chance of surviving the changes that have been forced upon her. Gradually she comes to realise that she has been lied to all her life and that things are never what they seem.
YA isn’t a genre I would normally read, not even when I was a teenager, but the cover and description of Dark Secret caught my eye. The author has built a plot full of suspense and mystery that grabs the reader’s attention raising questions and it will be interesting to see where she takes this story. The character of Ava is very well written. She’s the typical teenager, stroppy moods and all, rebelling against her mother’s authority and believing she’s invincible, continually rushing into situations without considering the consequences. There’s a slight hint of mystery in what has happened to her friend Liv who disappeared suddenly from Ava’s house. Maybe I’m reading too much into this and there’s nothing else to it but her leaving did seem abrupt.
My one issue with this book is I’d like to learn more about the secondary characters. Dark Secret concentrated on Ava making Jasik, Malik and the others seem a bit like an afterthought. Hopefully this will be resolved in the next book.
usually dont seek out supernatural books, but I can honestly say after reading this one, I can’t wait for the next in the series. I identify to the main character in her stubbornness! I feel like I’m standing there with her, telling her “Oh no… you gotta do this next!” AND SHE LISTENS!! Lol Great read. Amazing author that grabs your soul while you read and makes you feel like you’re there!
I haven’t read this genre in a while it was a good change.
In this story you find eager Ava who has been training to protect her coven since she was a child. Until one fatal evening and her whole life is changed, everything Ava thought she knew is not true.
Now bound to this new life, can Ava give up on her family and what she only knows to start her new life protecting herself and her new family.
Full of suspenseful moments, leaves you intrigued for more or Ava and Jasik.
This is a true YA/Paranormal read.
As this is my first read by Danielle Rose she has definitely done an amazing job. The story is captivating and I could not put it down. I love Ava and just how determined she is. It is constantly mentioned how difficult the transition is but no expansion on that except her new thirst. What happened to her dad? No backstory of her witch coven or the new vampire coven.
A drawback with the book were the errors with the Spanish phrases and that really annoyed me. People hate simple English errors when reading and if you want to incorporate Spanish please do so correctly. There were so few Spanish phrases but most had some error in reference to masculine or feminine use of words.
Quite a short story which left several questions unanswered. I don’t read paranormal books but I truly enjoyed the plot and characters. I look forward to the next book to see where the story leads.
Recieved ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in the Darkhaven Saga, and I have to say I was blown away. I love Ava and all her flaws. Ava ws born a spirit witch who hunted vampires. Until one day when she becomes the very thing she hunted for years. I can’t wait to see what is in store for Ava and Jasik. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series as it comes out.
So this isn’t my first book by Danielle Rose, I’ve read a couple of her books now but this is my first paranormal/fantasy/YA read by her and at first, being a genre I don’t often jump into I was a little apprehensive and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t really into these kinds of books in my youth but I think if I had found something like this, I would have been.
Well, I’d like to say that I was blown away… It took me a moment to get into the storyline but within the first few chapters, I found myself needing to know what was happening next. Ava is a 17-year-old spirit witch set out to protect her coven. As a spirit which she can feel the darkness and bad things that are about to happen before they happen and she could sense something dark and evil was coming to Darkhaven… When no one believes her, not even her own blood, she is left to figure it out all on her own and that does not come easy… ultimately places her in the last place she ever wanted to me…
And what transpires throughout the book I never saw coming. Ava is truly a unique character that I felt connected to. Ava had a profound effect on me, more than I realized she would and I’m not sure why though. The way the author wrote Ava and the way she developed her character, her traits, her flaws, and her strengths… She just had so much detail and to me, it was on point. I had no trouble picturing it as I read along.
Danielle’s way with words and her ability to paint a picture in my head blew my mind. I thought I had read Danielle’s best work but this has raised the bar. There was so much detail to take in too and this wasn’t a long read. It lacked for nothing and had me wanting more… I can’t wait to see where she goes with this.
5 pleasantly surprised stars!
WOW!!!! What an AMAZING start to this series! I was drawn in and hooked from the very moment I started reading and could not put this book down until I was finished. This story had such a captivating story line and the characters were ones I wanted to know more about.
Ava is such a strong character and her desire to be taken seriously as a protector of her people is one that made her an even more amazing character. This was a very unique story and one that kept me on the edge of my seat. There were many serious and intense moments and I was dying to find out how things were going to work out. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!
A must read book for sure!
By Alisa
I always felt a kin to witches. Is it the core of female power and knowledge beyond the common limits?
Whatever that may be, my instinct urged me to read this story. It’s the initiation into a world at war between witches and vampires, but from the perspective of a young woman who has taken quite an assertive approach to fighting the blood-thirsty scourge. I love that Ava is a warrior confident in her skills and also in tune with her spirit powers. She has both psychic and physical prowess. Isn’t that what we all girls crave?
This is an entertaining adventure that taps in the supernatural and the big human emotions we can all relate to. Ava is loyal to her coven, has shouldered loss and threats, and struggles to prove to her mother she is ready to defend her kind. Yet a tragic decision, amid blood and mayhem, preludes an imposible sacrifice. And the witch encounters a challenge that will threaten her way of life, her beliefs and her identity.
It’s easy to understand both this character’s strength and her turmoil in all the changes she has to face. Not only from a paranormal point of view, with the action and the monsters and the elemental magic, but also in terms of emotional complexity. Everyone has had to go through phases in life that disconnect us from our past and plunges us into a future we have not chosen. That is well reflected in the plot as it unfolds into revenge, fights, and forbidden romance.
Ava teeters between bravado and courage. With so much to learn in her transition to a new world, I was hoping she proved her cocky words after the many mistakes she makes. I think she mostly did in the action-filled end.
With a flowing and modern style, the story reads quickly and promises a swift Buffy-the-vampire-slayer vibe with longer arcs related to family, self-improvement and heroic goals. Catchy.
All you Paranormal, witch and vampire lovers out there alike you are going to love this new series Darkhaven Saga. Dark Secret is book one in this series. I was sucked in from the very beginning. Ava is so strong and fearless when trying to protect her coven from vampires. You feel for her loyalty and drive after she gets attacked. I love how she takes her new change in strives. Ava made one heck of a witch but brings more to being a vampire. I’m really loving Jasik. I can’t wait to find out more about him and see if the sparks that him and Ava are putting off become more. I can’t wait to see where this series takes us. This book is so good that I couldn’t put down.
Fun twist on paranormal! Wendy for Janise’s Jivin’ Book Blog
I liked Jasik from the time we met. I know that despite him being a vampire there is still goodness in him. Ava doesn’t trust any of the vampires but as she gets to know them she begins to develop trust. I really like how Danielle combined these two supernatural worlds. I haven’t read any good young adult novels in a while so happy I read Dark Secret. Love a good story that has the main character growing up and beginning their life as an adult. Story was a quick and easy read and left me wanting more.
Dark Secret by Danielle Rose is a YA paranormal, the 1st in the Darkhaven series. The main character, Ava, is a spirit witch and will do everything she can to protect her coven and town from vampires. I really liked the world created, but it was a quick read and felt like there was something missing or more needed at the end. Still a great start to a new series and am looking forward to continuing this series!
This was my first YA/Paranormal read from Danielle Rose, but I was pleasantly surprised. Ava is a spirit witch and a protector of her coven until she does something they don’t approve of. Her own family kicks her out of her home/coven and she’s taken in by her enemy…Vampires. Ava learns things she never knew and lies she was told by her family.
I loved Ava’s character and her strength!! Danielle wrote this story with so much detail and I could picture everything so clearly. The other characters intrigued me. I can’t wait to read more in the next book and see how things continue!! Keep writing these amazing books Danielle!
This is a definite MUST READ!! I give it Five Amazing Stars!!