[Review] Kiss of Darkness (Charmed #2)

[luvbarryfefe]

Title: Kiss of Darkness (Charmed #2)

Author: Brandon Alexander

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, TV

Content Warnings: N/A

Note: I’m super sorry this is almost a week late going up. I was in a serious reading slump. That rarely ever happens where I just can’t get motivated to read, but of course, it happens when people are depending on me to do a review. That’s the irony of my life for you. Anyway, thank you for your patience.

It might be considered taboo - perhaps even downright tacky - to start a book review quoting another person’s book review, but I feel I must. As apachefirecat says in their wonderful review of the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch novel, All You Need is a Love Spell, “It seems almost to be a rule that books based off of movies and/or TV shows are never as good as their predecessors, and vice versa.” And that is the truth. The novel writers are paid but yet never seem to know the characters, their quirks, or their histories, as well as we, the fans, do. I have found an abundance of fan fiction stories that are far superior to any of the TV companion novels based on Charmed, Buffy, Angel, you name it. But - yes, there’s a but - I still find myself seeking out these books out of devotion to the shows I love. Even if they’re sometimes disappointing. And hey, sometimes you find a gem in the lot. Was Kiss of Darkness one of those gems? Well…

The concept is intriguing enough. Prue goes to a fancy-schmancy work party on New Year’s Eve and a stranger gives her the ‘most passionate kiss of her life’. But that one fiery embrace awakens in Prue, a rage to kiss, so ardent that she can’t stop kissing everyone she meets looking for that amazing connection she had with this stranger. Each time, she kisses someone though, she grows weaker, as if someone’s zapping her life force and her powers and only her younger sister Phoebe notices at first because her middle sister Piper is wrapped up in a new romance. By the time all of them become aware something is amiss, will it be too late to save Prue? Well, you have to read on to find out.

Is it worth the read? Yes, if only for nostalgia’s sake, although I found three main flaws:

1) The writer didn’t seem to capture the sisters' unique voices well. They could have been almost interchangeable. It’s like the editors gave the author a bullet-point half page basic outline (which they probably did) and the author just wrote from there without ever seeing much - if any - of the show… Which brings me to the next point.

2. The writer had Prue wondering what her father would think if he knew she had magical powers. From the beginning of the series, that was a big part of the backstory of the Halliwell family, the reason the sisters' father had to leave in the first place. Heck, the third episode of the first season touches on so much of that. How could the writer not be aware of this?

3. After a while, the kisses got to be a little creepy. Prue was no longer asking for consent from some of the men and she was targeting younger and younger ones. Like they were legal, but just barely. It got to be weird. I know she was under a spell but still. As I said, weird.

All that said, I like the mythos in this story, the spells that are said, and how the sisters put their heads together to get shit done.

Overall, I’d give this book a 3.5/5 stars. Maybe that’s too generous but nostalgia is a powerful thing. I collected these books as a teenager. The Charmed series is still a huge part of my life. I remember watching the live premiere episode and being instantly hooked. I will always love this franchise, even the parts that aren’t exactly a perfect fit.

Comments

[apachefirecat]

When I first saw this come down, my reaction was, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been looking for this!!!!!! =)"

Thank you ever so much for your glowing tribute to my review! I wish that wasn't the truth, as for as books on TV shows and vice versa go, but we all know it is. :)

That being said, it sounds like this one was at least better than the one I tried with the sisters. I'm pretty sure I actually had this book at one time -- but after that one I mentioned before (where they couldn't even keep their powers straight!), I chunked the rest of them.... One of MANY things I've donated over the years that I've come to regret now as an adult.

Glad you enjoyed the read, even if there were some considerably questionable moments!

[luvbarryfefe]

Thanks for checking out the review. Your review of the Sabrina book inspired me to choose a Charmed book and it helped me through my reading slump. I'm excited about books again, which is great because I have a second review for this event due soon lol

[apachefirecat]

I'm so glad to have been able to help with your love of books! :)

(I'm one of those bookworms who actually try to stock the few little, free public library boxes we have around here, so it definitely is a pleasure to have helped! :))