Darker Days (The Darker Agency #1)

Oh, Jus Accardo, you slay me with your funny characters, clever plots, and impeccable writing. Darker Days is your light and funny paranormal romance that pulls you in and keeps you entertained and engaged all the way until the last page. It was fast-paced and I loved the way she handled the paranormal aspect of the story. I love how she takes what we think we know about paranormals and adds her own clever spin to it.
Jessie is such a funny character. I loved her snark and humor. She has some of the funniest one-liners I’ve read in awhile and I loved her relationship with her mother. She is a bit naive, but she’s tough, strong-willed, compassionate, and determined. Probably the only thing that bugged me about her was how quickly and easily she fell for Lukas. It was a bit too rushed for my taste, but it didn’t bother me that much. I loved being in her head and her inner monologues were downright hilarious.
As Jessie and her family start to find all the Sins, she uncovers a bunch of crazy family secrets and learns that she and her family are a lot more involved in what’s happening than they all originally thought. I think the plot was very well written and all the pieces fell together nicely. There honestly wasn’t a boring part in the whole story and I was kept engaged in the action and what the characters were going through the whole time.
Also, can I please have my own adorable demon corgi?! So hilarious!!
Darker Days is a great beginning to what I’m sure will be an excellent paranormal series. I loved all the characters, the clever twists, and even the sweet romance, towards the end. I’m always blown away with Jus’ books and I think more people need to read them. How can you not love a writer who creates such memorable and vibrant characters, unique and fast-paced plots, and hilarious and entertaining dialogue?! I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to see where Jus goes with it.

This is a fun new paranormal series that reminded me of what it would be like if Veronica Mars just happened to be investigating the paranormal world. In this case seventeen-year old Jessie helps her mom with their paranormal detective agency. Yes, she battles against demons, ghosts, and even zombies. Jessie is filled with 'tude and proud of her work. The relationship she has with her mother is one that is filled with respect even if she might have a tendency to get things destroyed while casting out a demon or ghost.

In DARKER DAYS, a box releases the seven 'sins'. One of them happens to be Lukas, a hawt guy from the 19th century, who not only has Jessie rethink her no dating rule but just happens to be wrath. It's up to Jessie to get all the sins back into the box. Along the way secrets are revealed about who she really is and how this all ties back to her family line. Plus, will she be able to handle Lukas returning to the box without breaking her heart?

What worked for me had to be the whole paranormal detective agency premise. I liked Jessie and how she handles client's 'issues'. The demon doggie scene is hilarious. I also liked the relationship she had with her mother. Her demon father was interesting though I would have loved to see more of their interaction.

The romance between Lukas and Jessie started off really slow and then took off running toward the end of the story. I was hooked and waited with baited breath to find out what would happen to Lukas. My only complaint was I kind of wanted to see more sparks between these two. I felt their attraction was a little lukewarm at the beginning. But later, I was satisfied with the turn in their relationship.

One huge plus about this series has to be the world building which is humorous at times. **Who can't chuckle at a doggie demon that has a soft spot? The characters are multi-layered with flaws and vulnerabilities. Even Jessie's friends aren't 'perfect'--like Kendra the witch who can't get her spells right.

This is the perfect new series for fans of the paranormal. Fans of Jana Oliver's THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER are sure to embrace Jessie and her adventures. I can't wait to read more!

What I Liked: Action, adventure, and romance with a paranormal twist, DARKER DAYS has a little something for everyone! The fast pace keeps the story moving and the twists keep it interesting. Jessie is a kick-butt, take no prisoners MC with a good heart who had me laughing out loud, and Lukas is a swoon-worthy love interest full of mystery. As with her DENZAEN series, Jus Accardo does a great job with world building and characterization, pulling the reader into the story and allowing them to experience everything her characters do.

I think one of the most challenging things for a series writer is to find the right balance of closure and interest. You want your readers to be sated by the end of a book yet eager for the next one, and I think Jus has accomplished that with DARKER DAYS.

What Left Me Wanting More: I liked Jessie and Lukas together but their relationship felt a little too fast for me.

Final Verdict: Great start to a new series!