Book Review: Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

TOKEN OF DARKNESS BY AMELIA ATWATER-RHODES
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2010)

Cooper Blake has everything going for him—until he wakes from a car accident with his football career in ruins and a mysterious, attractive girl by his side. Cooper doesn’t know how Samantha got there or why he can see her; all he knows is that she’s a ghost, and the shadows that surround her seem intent on destroying her.

No one from Cooper’s old life would understand what he can barely grasp himself. . . . But Delilah, the captain of the cheerleading squad, has secrets of her own, like her ability to see beyond the physical world, and her tangled history with Brent, a loner from a neighboring school who can hear strangers’ most intimate thoughts. Delilah and Brent know that Cooper is in more trouble than he realizes, and that Samantha may not be as innocent as she has led Cooper to believe. But the only way to figure out where Samantha came from will put them all in more danger than they ever dreamed possible.

After a horrific car crash, Cooper Blake has to deal with not only the emotional and physical scars, but also with a colorful ghost named Samantha. Samantha has no recollection of her past and in an effort to bring her peace, Cooper soon begins trying to find ways to help her. In the process, he stumbles upon other teenagers with unusual abilities of their own. Cooper tries to make sense of the people around him and whether anyone can be trusted, even Samantha who might be “something else, something bad.” In the midst of it all, creepy shadows beyond anyone’s understanding are manifesting, threatening all who come in contact with them. Will they be able to find answers to Cooper’s visions and Samantha’s origins before it’s too late?

I enjoyed Token of Darkness. I liked the different viewpoints of the characters that Cooper came into contact it with as well as their individual supernatural aptitudes. Samantha kept me intrigued and I enjoyed her interactions with Cooper. I appreciated how the details of the car accident were revealed slowly, which added to the tension and made me wonder what was really going on. The creepiest part of the book was the scavenger shadows who kept me awake at night, wondering if they were making their way across my room to get me next.

Though the ending seemed a little neatly tied up, I thought the plot was fast and entertaining. I’d recommend Token of Darkness to fans of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes and supernatural thrillers in general.

Purchase Token of Darkness HERE.
Read an EXCERPT of Token of Darkness.

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes was born in Maryland in 1984 and grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. Her first novel was written when she was thirteen. She currently attends the University of Massachusetts, where she is studying English.