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Received this ARC copy free from Goodreads.com First Reads/giveaways.

Is being psychic all rainbows and sunshine like TV, movies, and people make it out to be? Is it really that neat to know things before it happens? Can there be an evil side to having psychic abilities? All these questions went through my head as I picked up and started reading Dark Before Dawn. In this book a teenager, Dawn, has the ability to "see" things before they happen and hear other peoples thoughts sometimes or feel their feelings/emotions. Dawn feels that she is on a whole different planet than her Mom, especially after her Dad was killed in a car accident when she was 7. When her Mom re-marries and they move to Maine to move in with Jeff (the new husband) and Ken (his son). The older Dawn gets the more questions she has about her, so called, gift. She doesn't understand it or how to control it or why she has it. Dawn is introduced as a misfit, confused, picked on teenager who has no real relationship with her family and is a social outcast (being in a new school certainly doesn't help that situation). To try and "fit in" or at least gain one friend she hides her ability, but when she sees the only boy, Scott, who was nice to her die in one of her visions shouldn't she try to warn him? Well, she does, but that leads to many bad things. The kids at school call her a witch and she becomes even more outcast, that is until Candace and Jaime befriend her. They have psychic abilities too (Candace more that Jamie) and tell her that Serina (a local psychic) helps then learn more about being psychic and wants Dawn to come to a meeting. So starts Dawns new friendship circle. However, should you really learn from someone who is willing to do it, not only free, but in such a way that makes you vulnerable? Dawn wants to have somewhere to fit in so bad and is so badly wanting to understand her ability she will do anything to make it happen. When Dawn gets a feeling of evil at Serina's house and dismisses it for nerves will she be sorry later?

I have to say that this book was well written and a joy to read. Stacy Juba (the author) did a terrific job with this book. It had action and kept rolling right along all the way to the end. I found myself wanting to read faster because I thought I knew what was going on or going to happen and couldn't wait to see if I was right. As I read I never really saw anything sinister going on with the little psychic class Serina held for the three girls (Candace, Jamie and Dawn). Throughout this book there are clues as to what you should be catching on to, but if you are like me they didn't all sink in until it was later in the book. When I finally saw what the author was doing with the plot my mind just reeled with excitement and wonder. I also found myself going, "how could I have missed seeing that?". The wonderful twists and turns all throughout the book were very enjoyable too, kept me (as a reader) on my toes and filled with wonder. I think this book hit a cord with me because I tend to be intuitive myself, not by any means psychic, but I can tell when things are wrong with someone I am close to. I think of how frustrated I can be when I get that feeling, but don't know what is wrong or with who, and can't even imagine the character of Dawn who can see things and hear things too. This book also brings to light a common problem, bullying. All the bad in this book started with one girl just not fitting in in high school and getting picked on. My advice after reading this book? Never pick on anyone, you never know what secrets they are hiding from you that could cause you real problems if you are mean to them.

Highly recommend this book to the young adult group and the adult group. After all I think some of the best books out there are young adult books. They have a different "feel" to them that the authors make oh so well. Out to you, Stacy Juba, I hope you write another book so we can see where Dawn goes from here with her new found abilities and acceptance from her family.

Darlene @ Peeking Between the Pages

Great Paranormal YA Read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2011

Verified Purchase

Just in time for Halloween is a chillingly creepy novel called Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba. I've read another of Stacy's books called Sink or Swim and I really enjoyed it so when the opportunity to review this one arose I jumped at it because it sounded so good to me. I love anything to do with psychics, fortune tellers, and teenagers who get themselves into scary situations and Dark Before Dawn didn't disappoint me at all. This is a Young Adult novel but I can tell you that as an adult I was completely drawn into the story and anxious to see how it would all end.

Dawn has had psychic abilities since the age of seven which seemed to manifest after the death of her father. Her mother has discouraged these abilities and basically pretended they didn't exist and wants Dawn to do the same. So Dawn spends a lot of time hiding her abilities from her mother and everyone else. It has made her seem a little strange to others and consequently led to her being one of the unpopular kids most of the time.

When her mother remarries Dawn finds herself with a new stepfather, stepbrother, and a new school. As usual she is singled out as not being part of the crowd and messing up in gym class sure doesn't help. Then it hits her. She has a vision about one of the popular boys at school and because she feels she couldn't live with herself if something happened to him, she warns him of the impending danger. When her vision comes true she is branded a witch and the teasing becomes even worse.

Then she meets Candace who tells her that there are others like her right in their town. Someone who can teach Dawn how to use her abilities. Dawn has a bad feeling about it all but agrees to meet his woman Serina. All of a sudden she finds herself drawn into a world where others finally understand her and she is learning how to use her talent a lot more; even more important she finally has friends. As time goes on though a bizarre string of strange accidents occur and Dawn is forced to face the facts that these new friends of hers may not be who she thought they were - they are much, much worse.

I really enjoyed Dark Before Dawn. Stacy has an easy way of writing that draws you into her stories and keeps you there. For those who enjoy paranormal YA fiction with a good mystery to go along with it I would recommend giving Dark Before Dawn a try.

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