Review of The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abé

Synopsis:
“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.” 
 
Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.
 
England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.
 
Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.
 Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time. (Taken from Goodreads)

Stars Given: ★★★☆☆

Overall View:
The story was confusing but it placed a sense of calm in me... I have no idea why.  The story was beautifully written however, I had a hard time trying to establish what was happening half of the time.  I think the story lacked adventure.  There were times when I felt like the story should have less of the drama in the school and a little more explanation to how the main character accepted the fact that she was a DRAGON! Its not an everyday thing where people go around and seeing other dragons.  I would have freaked out but the main character was quite calm after she heard that fact.  The story lacked something I couldn't put my hand on.  The cover was enchanting and the way the words were weaved into the story made it even more enchanting but for me, this book was missing an important element.  The author didn't place enough writing into certain sad and tragic parts.  I felt that some of the areas were missing a huge chunk.  Therefore I give this book three stars out of five.