Book Review: The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

Book Title: The Dark Days Club
Author: Alison Goodman
Series: Lady Helen #1
Release Date: January 26th, 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fiction

New York Times bestseller Alison Goodman’s eagerly awaited new project: a Regency adventure starring a stylish and intrepid demon-hunter!

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

From the author who brought us the Eon duology, her latest brings us a lush mix of historical fiction and paranormal fantasy. The Dark Days Club takes you on a dark magical adventure with Lady Helen in a London Regency era. We have 18-year old Lady Helen who prepares herself for the court but all is about to change when she meets the elusive Lord Carlston.  

Packed with mystery, murder and magic - we are tossed into the world of demon-hunting as Lady Helen learns about her newfound skills under the guidance of Lord Carlston. With a simmer of slow-burning romance, both of them begin to uncover the dark secrets of their society's true cause.

Overall a stunning historical read packed with action and twists. However boasting with a page count of approx 480 pages, the read took a slow pacing in some parts and I felt that it could be shortened a lot more. 

Perfect for fans who enjoy Jane Austen reads mixed with a paranormal fantasy twist. This is a first in a series and I can't wait for the next book already!

Advanced review copy received by distributor in exchange for an honest review. 

 Alison is the author of EON and EONA, a New York Times Bestselling fantasy duology. Her latest novel --The Dark Days Club-- is Book 1 in a new trilogy, and will be published in the USA and UK in January 2016, and December 2015 in Australia. It has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly as "a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy". Alison calls it "Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy in English high society". 

EON was short-listed for Victorian, NSW, and WA Premier’s Literary awards, and won the 2008 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also listed as an American Library Association Best Young Adult Book (2010), a James Tiptree Jr. Honour book, and a CBCA Notable Book. 

Alison’s first novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, won the 1998 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was also listed as an American Library Association Best Book (2004) and CBCA Notable Book. Her second novel, a crime thriller titled Killing the Rabbit, was published in the USA and shortlisted for the 2007 Davitt Award. 

Alison was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and holds a Master of Arts. She lives in Australia with her husband and their Machiavellian Jack Russell Terrier, and is currently working on Book 2 and 3 or The Lady Helen series.

Visit Alison’s website at www.darkdaysclub.com