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    The Dark Days Pact
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    The Dark Days Pact
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    The Dark Days Pact
    Audiobook15 hours

    The Dark Days Pact

    Written by Alison Goodman

    Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Sequel to New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman's acclaimed The Dark Days Club-a smashing combination of Buffy and Jane Austen!

    Summer, 1812.
    After the scandalous events at her presentation ball in London, Lady Helen has taken refuge at the fashionable seaside resort of Brighton, banished from her family and training as a Reclaimer with the covert Dark Days Club. She must learn to fight the dangerous energy-wielding Deceivers and prepare to face their master, the elusive Grand Deceiver.

    As she struggles to put aside her genteel upbringing, Helen realizes that her mentor, Lord Carlston, is fighting his own inner battle. Has the foul Deceiver energy poisoned his soul, or is something else driving him towards violent bouts of madness? Either way, Helen is desperate to help the man with whom she shares a deep but forbidden connection.

    When Mr. Pike, the hard bureaucratic heart of the Dark Days Club, arrives in Brighton, he has a secret mission for Helen: find the journal left by a mad rogue Reclaimer, before it falls into the hands of the Deceivers. Coerced by Pike, Helen has no choice but to do as ordered, knowing that the search for the journal may bring about Lord Carlston's annihilation.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJan 31, 2017
    ISBN9781480580398
    Unavailable
    The Dark Days Pact
    Author

    Alison Goodman

    Alison Goodman is the author of the international bestselling and award-winning Eon/Eona duology and the Lady Helen series, as well as the acclaimed Singing the Dogstar Blues and the adult thriller A New Kind of Death (originally titled Killing the Rabbit). Alison lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, Ron, and their adorable Australian Terrier mix, Buckley.  Visit her website at www.darkdaysclub.com

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    Reviews for The Dark Days Pact

    4/5

    119 ratings16 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Dark Days Pact is the second book of a historical fantasy trilogy set in Regency England. The main character, Lady Helen, discovered in the first book that she inherited the ability to fight demons from her mother. She is leaving behind the life she expected to have as an upper class young woman, and is learning how to fight and use her powers, and learning more about the Dark Days Club and trying to figure out who she can trust. This is an entertaining fantasy adventure, with a romance subplot, and anyone who enjoys the genre will like this too. I am looking forward to the third book.
    • 4/5
      I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Library Thing in exchange for an honest review — thank you!I have not read the first book in the Lady Helen series. But after reading this, you’d better believe I’m going to check it out. This has a gripping plot, fantastic characters... But perhaps the thing I’m most thrilled by is the setting. The environment is rich in historical detail without being dry or distracting. And the supernatural aspects are worked in so well and don’t seem out of place in the slightest. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
    • 4/5
      I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers program, and have not read the first novel in the series.Since I missed the first book, I was a bit confused at times. There were definitely points where I had trouble following along, and it probably would have been better if I'd read the first book first. It wasn't a dealbreaker though.I didn't like that one of the men fighting over the main character wouldn't take no for an answer, especially since it seemed to be painted in a romantic light. It's gross. I didn't like the ridiculously contrived kiss in the second half of the book. Not only was it ridiculously contrived, but it was completely excessive and unbelievable as a kiss between nobles in that day and age. There was also a plotline involving a bawdy house: trigger warning for yet another dead sex worker, and the murder of sex workers as a plot point.I found the writing engaging, and I did enjoy the book despite the issues described above. It was a fun bit of fluff to occupy a few days. I'm not sure I care enough to seek out the first book, or to wait for the third book to find out how it all works out, but that's mostly because in this genre I know that good will triumph over evil and that the romance will work out despite the obstacles described.All in all, this is a fun romp with a regal superheroine. She must bend the rules just enough to scandalize the society of the time, but nothing she does is very daring by today's standards. So, you can enjoy both the life of a noble with servants and fancy clothes, as well as being a badass Chosen One with super powers.
    • 5/5
      This book was SO GOOD! It was a great sequel and I desperately want the next book! (4.5/5 stars)

      I really enjoyed the plot of this one, and how it all progressed the greater story as well. The world became more complex, with mysteries to solve. I feel like I kind of have more questions than answers, but I'm not bothered by it, because they characters are in the same boat.

      I really enjoyed the characters in this one. I loved Lady Helen and watching her really come into herself in this one..although that ending made me so mad. I can't even.
      I liked getting more insight into Lord Carlston, Mr. Hammond, and Darby. I liked the addition of more people into the inner circle as well.
      I despised Duke Selburn...he just made me so angry throughout most of the book. His well meaning attitude just made me want to punch him, cause he couldn't get it through his thick head that he needed to back off. God. I'm getting more angry writing about him. I loathe him.

      Overall, fantastic book! I can't wait for the next one, and to see how Lady Helen gets out of the next sticky situation.
    • 5/5
      The Dark Days Club was good, but The Dark Days Pact raised the level exponentially and I am reeling right now. It barely had romance and was stronger on the world/society/adventure side and I was totally okay with that. Alison Goodman weaves such an enticing world with awesome characters. I loved that she had to learn how to act like a man to be able to go out in society because this book is set in a time where women did not do the things men do. Lord Carlston is amazing. I love him so much. I literally wanted to sequel everything he was on the page. The romance is soooo slow burning is and fills you with intense angst that makes it impossible to put this book down!
    • 4/5
      The Dark Days Pact is a very strong sequel to the excellent The Dark Days Club. It follows on directly where the first book left off, with Lady Helen continuing her secret training following on from her public disgrace at her Presentation Ball. The story this time is far faster paced, finding its feet quickly as Lady Helen is recruited on a secret mission by the Home Office - one that she has do keep secret from the increasingly unstable Lord Carlston.The book still blends Regency era attitudes and demon-slaying with style, which at times makes it very hard to read. While the sexist attitudes towards Lady Helen are the product of the times, in this book I found them incredibly difficult to read. I mean, this is the world where women are practically currency and can find themselves cast out of polite society for merely refusing a man. I've never read a book that's so compelling, yet at the same time makes me so angry to read.While this book is a middle novel, it does form a complete story in its own right and does a great job of progressing the overall plot, allowing the reader to learn more about the nature of the Trinitas, as well as the nature of of the Grand Deceiver. It also allows the reader to see a different side of the world, as Lady Helen disguises herself to visit an underside of Brighton where no well mannered lady could tread. It's a compelling story and did keep me hooked from start to finish.My only real issues came in the form of the characters. Lady Helen is still a fantastically sympathetic protagonist, yet I found myself frustrated by her passivity at times. Product of the era, I know, but she's just a bit too much of a pushover and fast to agree with the male characters assessments of things.Yet it's the male characters (bar Mr Hammond, who is awesome) that really got my ire up. While I actually quite liked both Carlston and Selburn in the last novel, this time I really wished that Helen would ditch them both and pair up with Darby. Both men are frustratingly controlling, especially Selburn in his determination for "protecting" Lady Helen - woman with superhuman speed who could break him over one knee. Yeah...it gets old very quick.Yet, I am still a bit over-invested in this series and can't wait to see how the story wraps up.
    • 5/5
      Loved it! So much happened and was revealed in this second book about Lady Helen and the Dark Days Pact. I can't wait for the next book in the series and the arrival of the Great Deceiver!
    • 5/5
      I loved this book! It was great! I followed Lady Helen's adventures with great interest. I now need to listen to the third book in this trilogy!

      Fiona Hardingham did a fantastic job performing this story! I thoroughly enjoyed her narration.
    • 4/5
      Note: Spoilers for Book One in this Series.This is the second book in the Dark Days Club series, and picks up soon after the end of the first book. It is the summer of 1812, and Lady Helen Wrexhall is in Brighton, England for the season, having been evicted from her home with her aunt and uncle after a scandalous episode the night of her "coming out" ball. She is staying with Lady Margaret Ridgewell and her brother Michael Hammond, who are “helpers” in the Dark Days Club. This is a secret group that fights demons disguised in human form who prey on human energy. Helen herself is a “Reclaimer,” one of a small group having special supernatural powers to fight these “Deceivers” as the evil spirits are called.In Brighton, Lord Carlston, the most powerful of the Reclaimers, visits frequently to give Helen training, which includes teaching her to pass as a man, one “Charles Amberley, young buck about town.” Helen’s maid, Darby, is also in training with Carlston’s Terrene, learning to be a Terrene herself.A “Terrene” is a sort of dedicated helper. Each Reclaimer bonds with the Terrene by blood, conferring some of the powers of the Reclaimer onto the Terrene. When a Reclaimer takes away the energy from Deceivers, it will stay within the Reclaimer’s body. The Terrene’s job is to get the Reclaimer in contact with bare earth in less than twenty seconds to discharge it, or it will render the Reclaimer insane. But all of their training is complicated by unforeseen events. Lord Carlston seems to be suffering from poisoning coming from the Deceivers’ energy that he has absorbed. The Duke of Selburn has followed Helen to Brighton to watch over her and try to win her back. And Ignatius Pike from the Home Office and Senior Officer of the Dark Days Club has come to Brighton as well. He assigned Carlston to go on a trip to London. After Carlston was gone, Pike pressured Helen and Hammond to take on a secret mission. They are tasked first with spying on Carlston to ascertain his loyalty to the crown. In addition, they are to take possession of a journal reputed to be full of information about both Reclaimers and Deceivers. Worst of all, they are not only sworn to keep this from Carlston, whom Pike clearly despises, but threatened with ruination if they don’t obey.The journal is in the possession of Bartholomew Lowry, an evil and loathsome man who was the Terrene of Mr. Benchley, a Reclaimer killed in the first book. Lowry still has his Terrene powers, and thus still has supernatural strength, giving him an edge in negotiations. Pike tells Helen and Hammond they must meet with Lowry and offer him whatever it takes to get the journal. Since Lowry does not want to lose his special powers, he insists, as a price for the journal, that Helen take him on as her Terrene. When the Reclaimers find out, from a cooperative Deceiver, that the journal holds the key to curing Carlston, Helen feels she has no choice but to obey Lowry in order to save Carlston, who is deteriorating fast.Everyone is after the journal: not only is it essential for Carlston’s cure, but apparently it has secrets that could undo everyone - Reclaimer and Deceiver alike. They all chase after it, with each party willing to kill the others to ensure possession. As all the parties come together in a desperate bid for the journal, the pace of the story becomes absolutely frenetic with tension and danger. I give the author a great deal of credit for her plot choreography involving so many people in the denouement. All of them are bent on attacking someone and/or protecting someone. The ending was excellently executed, and involved not one surprising cliff-hanger, but three.Evaluation: Just as I felt after reading the first book, I can’t wait for the next installment. It's fun, entertaining, full of romance and intrigue, and with just enough history to add substance to the story.
    • 4/5
      June 1812. Just weeks after her catastrophic coming-out ball, Lady Helen Wrexhall—now disowned by her uncle—is a full member of the demon-hunting Dark Days Club. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, has arranged for Helen to spend the summer season in Brighton so that he can train her new Reclaimer powers. However, the long-term effects of Carlston’s Reclaimer work have taken hold, and his sanity is beginning to slip. At the same time, Carlston’s Dark Days Club colleague and nemesis will stop at nothing to bring Helen over to his side—and the Duke of Selburn is determined to marry her. The stakes are even higher for Helen as she struggles to become the warrior that everyone expects her to be.MY THOUGHTS:I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.This is the second book of the Lady Helen series, the first being the Dark Days Club.I think what holds my attention with this series are three things. First and foremost, the setting. It is an excellently written historical setting made to feel authentic by the author and her focus on all the tiny details that made everything so incredible and immersive, and her cleverly applying these details in such unique and appealing ways. You wanted to live in 1812.Secondly, I think the Protagonist was also written well. Her character arc was accurately portrayed as she worked toward her goals. She is strong and clever, resourceful and humane. Her friendships and interactions with the others strengthens her believably.Thirdly, the fact that a woman in an era that is expected to act the gentlewoman is in fact so much more and she owns it.The romance in the story…meh. You could live without it since there’s so much more going on demanding attention. I also found the plot wandering a bit leading to confusion at time.I did love the unpredictability of the plot. You had no idea what was happening next.I highly recommend you start with book one and go from there. A great under rated book series.
    • 3/5
      Regency romance mixed with dark fantasy is not really my thing. I need something to lighten the darkness, and fascinating as historical details about life in Brighton are, some of those just made everything darker. This book frustrated me too, as Helen is caught in a seemingly impossible web of lies and secrets, and pushed into working with men she has very good reasons for wanting to avoid. Sometimes I enjoy reading about characters caught in difficult situations with no one to truly rely on or confide in, but I don’t enjoy the feeling that everything’s going to hell in a handbasket.That said, there is a lot to appreciate about these books and I'll read the third book as soon as it comes out.
    • 5/5
      This is the 2nd book in the Dark Days Club series and I absolutely loved it. It was a very entertaining read that I had trouble putting down. We learn a lot more more about Lady Helen and her abilities in this book. I love that she is actually having to undergo training in order to use her abilities (rather than instantly becoming super awesome at it). We also learn a lot more about the Dark Days Club and it’s interaction with the Crown and more about the Great Deceiver and the Great Reclaimer.I am really enjoying a lot of the characters in this book. Lady Helen in an awesome heroine and Lord Carlston is the perfect match for her in so many ways. Then tension between the two is delicious.There is a lot of action and intrigue in this book as well as some romance. The book doesn't really focus on romance but more focuses on Lady Helen's training and her learning to use her abilities.Overall this was incredibly fun read and an excellent continuation of this series. I would definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy historical (Victorian era) paranormal reads. The book is well-written, the characters are entertaining and I am really enjoying the storyline.
    • 5/5
      I loved the first Lady Helen novel and expected to enjoy this one, but did not expect this to be even better. Of course, I'm a sucker for a good romance novel, and, at heart, this is a romance novel, albeit one with monsters. I loved watching Lady Helen come into her own and stand up for herself and those she cares about. I could go into more detail, but I'm honestly still kind of in swoony space. If you like Regency-set romance, girls fighting monsters, political machinations or just a good story well told, pick up The Dark Days Club (the first Lady Helen novel) then track down a copy of this one and then spend the next year (or more) waiting in anxious anticipation with me for book three.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      After reading just a few pages of The Dark Days Pact, it became apparent that it was necessary to first read the first book in what, as it turns out, is a trilogy. The Dark Days Club swept me into a very unusual but compelling tale which is a mixture of a Regency romance, a paranormal romance and a horror story. The second book certainly does not recap everything from the first book which I appreciate but does necessitate reading the first book first. I could not put these books down and was disappointed to have to wait for the 3rd book. The closest comparison I can come to is the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare (which I love) but this is darker than Clare's series. I highly recommend the Dark Days books.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure I liked this initially but it managed to suck me in quite effectively when I wasn't paying attention. Unexpectedly clever in all sorts of ways. Highly recommended to everyone, even people who don't usually like this sort of thing.

      I recieved a free copy of this book from the publisher for review.
    • 2/5
      This book was generously provided to me by the publisher via Library Thing. let's start with the pacing. This book was a little slower going for me. I found the characters were not wholly fleshed out ( this may be because it is book two and I haven't yet read book one).

      The world building was of reasonable quality. I did feel certain elements could have been delved into a bit deeper, such as when someone is considered unreclaimable. the descriptions of clothing were apt for the time period of the story.

      I liked how she handled her token gay. that being said that is all it felt like, a token character. I felt the grand deceiver/ reclaimer bit refreshing. nobody is expected to save the world alone here.

      ultimately it was a decent book, it just didn't fully click for me at this time. I will reread down the road after having read the first book.