Book Review: HIDDEN DANGER by Amy Patrick

Book:  Hidden Danger

Author:  Amy Patrick

Publisher:  Oxford South Press

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, YA Romance

Blurb via Goodreads:

The Danger is Everywhere... 

The Dark Council has struck a shocking and powerful blow against the Light Court and its human allies, defying their own king, Nox, and seeking to re-establish Dark Elven influence and domination over the human world. 

While Ryann and Lad work to restore production of Magnolia Sugar Tea, Ava is forced to return to the Dark Court to face Audun, the cruel and powerful head of the Dark Council, and learn the consequences for disobeying his orders. With no other choice, she sets off on a road trip with her former fiancé Culley, whom she does not like and does not trust, and leaves behind Asher, the intriguing and much too tempting human boy she met in Deep River. 

Along the way she’ll discover what Culley’s mission in Altum was, and the disastrous effect it will have on the human race. 

But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this mysterious Dark Elven guy with his alluring and deceptive glamour, and Ava will find herself torn between two possible futures as she sets her own course through the Hidden world. 

My Review:

SPOILER ALERT!!!  SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!  SPOILER ALERT!!!

We return to the Hidden world of the dark elves in Hidden Danger with Ava, Culley and his evil father Audun.  After failing in her mission to permanently separate Ryann from Lad (in Hidden Darkness), Ava was ready to run away and hide from the rest of her world but is pulled back in after promising to help the light elves with the mission to find out what Audun’s plans truly are.  

And so she goes with her fiancée Culley.  Along the way, she realizes that Culley is not as bad as he wants people to believe he is.  But is it enough for her to fall in love with him? Especially if she may already have feelings for someone else.

A dark elf with a conscience, who’d have thunk?  So yes, Nox and Vancia (from books 1 to 4) are dark elves who are generally trying to do good and work with the light elves, but Ava and Culley have done so much evil and so much damage that you’d think there is just no conscience underneath…..but therein lies the difference.  Ava wants a chance at a real life away from the courts while Culley feels like he has no choice except to obey his father.

In the 4^th book Hidden Darkness, we already had a glimpse of what Culley could be.  Here, it is much more obvious and I thought…. I hoped… that Ava could turn him around and that they are so perfect together. 

Then there is Asher, the human who falls in love with Ava.  Too deep and too fast in my opinion.  For some reason, he came across to me as too annoying, too eager and generally just TOO much!  His character didn’t sit well with me.  But my reaction could just be because I REALLY like Culley for Ava.  In my head, the bad boy always deserves a second chance.  Either that or my attachment to Culley is unhealthy.  So who does Ava choose?

well.......

No worries…as it turns out, there is happiness for all yet.  Am I happy I read this book?  The answer is YES.  I do love the series.  maybe I’m not as sold on Asher but there is always bad boy Culley.