Out of the Darkness - Katy Hogan

Out of the Darkness is a haunting, sometimes heart-breaking, contemporary novel with a supernatural twist. A tale of friendship and redemption, of love and loss, and life after death. Set in the lively coastal town of Brighton, Out of the Darkness tells the moving story of three women, complete strangers, each burdened by their own secrets, fears and emotional baggage. Their lives are changed irrevocably when they are brought together by one remarkable connection: someone who wants to help them.....from beyond the grave.

Author: Katy Hogan
Title: Out of the Darkness
Publishers: Illumine
Publication Date: 6th July 2015
Link: Amazon

My Review

When I was asked by Katy to review this book I didn't really know what it was about but I liked the cover and the title so was happy to add it to my list of books to be read. However when I read the first line of the blurb on the back and realised it was about a girl who loses her mother then I knew I would have to bring it forward but waited until after my holiday incase it was a tearjerker.

I lost my mum four years ago and am still in disbelief and shock and so many of the feelings I've been going through were talked about and experienced by the characters in the book.

The main character, Jessica Gibson, lost her mother suddenly and as they were so close she has found life unbearably lonely as they were best friends who did everything together. She finds it especially hard on New Year's Eve which also happens to be her mum's birthday, I understood the torment of not wanting a New Year to start without your mother as it makes them seem even further away from you. A chance meeting with a guy called Finn helps her to feel slightly better for a short time and changes her life forever.

Encouraged by a friend to try grief counselling she meets Hannah at the group and also Alex who lives next door to where the group is held. Circumstances bring them together as friends and they soon become inextricably linked. Each of the friends has experienced heartbreak in one way or another and after visiting a medium they begin to receive discreet messages from beyond the grave which bring comfort to their lives. These three friends have been brought together for a reason which becomes apparent as the many twists and turns of the story unfold.

I thought that this book was beautifully written and the difficult subjects surrounding death such as grief and depression were sensitively handled. Many times whilst reading I felt my heart being pulled with emotion and I also shed lots of tears. Although filled with sadness there is a wonderful uplifting feeling of hope throughout this book and the characters are brought moments of joyful happiness.

I could really relate to what the characters were going through and have had lots of signs from my departed loved ones which I find very comforting. I also loved the support that the characters gave each other through love and friendship.

Thank you to Katy Hogan for allowing me to review this beautiful, gentle uplifting story.

To read our author interview with Katy please click here.

Sincerely

Book Angel x

About the Author

Having grown up with a mother who consulted her tarot cards on a weekly basis, and who would frequently sense an other-worldly presence, it has always been perfectly natural for me to assume that there is more to this life than meets the eye. I have even experienced a few mysterious encounters myself. But it was only when I suffered the loss of a loved one that I started to question the possibility of life after death, and decided to find out more.

And so began a fascinating quest, where I met 'ordinary' people who claimed to have experienced the extraordinary. This is where I found the inspiration for my debut novel, 'Out of the Darkness'. Although it's fiction, much of the phenomena written about in the story have been experienced by me, my friends or people I spoke to during my research.

I have started work on my second novel, but when I'm not writing, you will find me keeping tabs on my teenage children or walking my dogs in the Hertfordshire countryside.

Please see www.outofthedarknessnovel.com