Member Reviews

I started reading this and got less than 20 chapters in when I decided to DNF (which is something I hardly ever do). I just knew straight away that I wasn't gelling with the book and the way the story was quite clearly going. I know the author was trying to play with cellular memory but honestly, the way she was doing it in this book made me feel a bit gross. The characters straight away felt very simple and black and white, and the writing was very basic as well.

Was this review helpful?

The darkness within by Lisa Stone.
When critically ill Jacob Wilson is given a life-saving heart transplant, his parents are relieved that their loving son has been saved.However, before long, his family are forced to accept that something has changed in Jacob. Their once loving son is slowly being replaced by a violent man whose mood swings leave them terrified – but is it their fault?Jacob’s girlfriend, Rosie, is convinced the man she loves is suffering from stress. But when his moods turn on her, she begins to doubt herself – and she can only hide the bruises for so long.When a terrible crime is committed, Jacob’s family are forced to confront their darkest fears. Has the boy they raised become a monster? Or is someone else to blame?
A very good read with good characters. Likeable story. 4*.

Was this review helpful?

I had mixed feelings about this book. Part of me really enjoyed it but there were parts of the story I just skimmed over. None of the characters were very likeable.

Was this review helpful?

This was a creepy, thrilling ride in a good way! I enjoyed the story line and was interested from page one. Great book with a paranormal and unnerving feel!

Was this review helpful?

This book was a quick moving thriller tale with well written characters and a followable plot. The story kept me interested thoughout.. I recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

The Darkness Within as a debut thriller from Lisa Stone promised wonderful, deliciously dark things from it’s blurb. I was really looking forward to an exciting thriller filled with twists and turns and a seam of excitement at its core. Unfortunately I find this book wanting by the end. The story itself had potential, the concept of personalities transferred during organ donation. The darkness that takes over the new host is so out of character it must be a result of the transplant.

This element of the book presented an interesting dynamic, something that has been hypothesised with some anecdotal evidence, but nothing medically concrete. The story charts the last days of the donor alongside the days prior to the transplant for the recipient. The story flips post-operation to chart the change in personality of Jacob and the all consuming darkness that takes over his persona.

This is the part of the story that really let it down for me. I found the “twists” to be predictable, the direction and destination visible very early on. The characters started to grate on me - as the books progressed their attitudes and motives never wavered even when presented with evidence making them feel a touch unbelievable. The story itself was okay, but lacked what I look forward to when I dive into a thriller - a thrilling story.

Was this review helpful?

I really struggled with The Darkness Within. I persevered as I hate not reading books to the end but I was just not enjoying it so I gave up. Sorry not for me.

Was this review helpful?

A gripping thriller with an interesting plot is how I’d describe The Darkness Within. I was totally immersed in the book from the very beginning. Good characters and a pace that gathered momentum throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

Was this review helpful?

Lisa Stone is the pen name for Cathy Glass writing psychological thrillers. An interesting concept and very thought provoking in places.

Was this review helpful?

Wow, what a thrilling read. Organ donation is a selfless act, but sometimes you wonder if anything of the person's personality gets transferred into his organs. It started off with a sick young man, which made you feel sorry for him, then the same young man turned into a monster. Did Shane's psychopathic nature transfer into his heart explaining Jacob's personality change?
It was a brilliant novel, and I can't wait to read more by the other persona of Cathy Glass!

Was this review helpful?

Jacob was a seriously ill young man requiting a heart transplant to stand any chance of surviving. He's very lucky and receives a new heart from Shane after Shane died in a car crash. Following the transplant Jacob appears to transform into a completely different person, He now seems to hate his loving and supportive parents, he is extremely vile to his girlfriend and the relationship is soon over. Going forward Jacob starts a relationship with Shane's ex girlfriend and things go from bad to worse.
A very good read. Is there really such a thing as Cell memory?

Was this review helpful?

This book definitely grew on me during the course of the time I spent reading it! The subject matter is fascinating; I had heard vaguely at some point about cellular memory transference, but what a great pretext for a story! Not just an organ transplant, in this case something as enormous as the heart, but also a complete personality transplant. This is excellent, thought-provoking, topical, to-the-minute science, and 'The Darkness Within,' brings to the surface all of that morality stuff that we should be seriously thinking about as science progresses deeper and deeper in the field of research. It gives a whole new meaning to the argument of 'nurture or nature!'
Other meaty subject matters includes domestic abuse, in this case full blown domestic violence. Poor Rosie! You have to wonder at her falling for the same abusive type all over again having already escaped once!
One thing bothers me however; should the main character, Jacob, still be held accountable for all his criminal activity. You get the feeling at the end of the book as everything comes together, that all will now be rosy - but during the course of the story, Jacob has committed GBH, murder, rape, theft, intimidation, holding a person against their will, and so on, and yet there is no mention of him receiving justice for his crimes! Would CMT even stand up in a court of law?? Certainly food for thought for those who don't like to take their books at face value.
The book lost star value for me as at times the writing seemed to me rather stilted in its style; the flow wasn't quite what it could have been - but nevertheless, a solid 3.5 star read!

Was this review helpful?

Some books you like and others for one reason or another you do not. I couldn't get into this book and had to give up. Different tastes?

Was this review helpful?

A nice young man is very ill and urgently needs a new heart which he is “lucky” enough to get but the trouble is that the donor is a nasty piece of work and it’s not long before the formerly well behaved Jacob becomes a carbon copy of bad boy Shane. A little bit on the unbelievable side with some of the coincidences and the way some of the characters behaved considering they were a religious family. Rosie was annoying too the way she just allowed things to happen. I didn’t think the style of writing “flowed” and came across as stilted sometimes nor were there any real shocks but it’s food for thought about how some recipients can take on the characteristics or likes/dislikes of the donor.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fascinating story and also a bit scary. Really makes you wonder what else is transferred with an organ transplants. Well written book that kept my attention throughout. The conclusion took the easy way out.

Was this review helpful?

I love Cathy Glass's previous books about the foster children she interacts with, and I was very intrigued when I found out she had a fiction debut out. I requested it from NetGalley, and I did enjoy it.
Shane is a piece of canine faeces on the boot of the world, and I hated him straight off the bat. His poor suffering partner Rosie needs to get away.
Jacob, the rector's son, needs a heart transplant and has a loving family, wonderful partner and a live waiting to be lived.

I won't spoil the plot but I will say that this book deals with the topic of cellular memory. I loved the premise, and the book started off brilliantly. I love this idea, and it appealed to the horror/sci-fi loving side of me. Cathy understands human relationships and the ugly side of people very well, and this shone through in her work.
Now, what let down the book was the inaccurate drug scenes. I feel more research was needed on this to make it more realistic. Also, Rosie's information wasn't accurate, it wasn't clear what she knew about Shane's whereabouts and what she didn't. Otherwise, if you suspend belief and ignore the niggles, this is a good debut.
My copy is from NetGalley and Avon books and all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

We've heard those stories about people apparently taking on the characteristics of their organ donor following a transplant and in this book, the reader is taken on a tour of 'what if'? What if this really could happen? Stone considers this question by juxtaposing a gentle recipient, Jacob, son of a vicar, against donor Shane, a mad, bad and dangerous to know thug and exponent of domestic violence and watches as Jacob takes on an increasingly dark personality. It's a undeniably interesting and scary premise, but maybe it was the two extreme characters that just didn't gel with me.

Was this review helpful?

Wow what a read, I seriously couldn't put this one down, read within two days. A easy read that will have you gasping for more.
Jacob is slowly dying and needs a new heart, he gets his wish but it leaves his parents in turmoil at what there son turns into.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely brilliant. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put down.

Was this review helpful?

What an amazing book. I was hooked from the very first page. I had never heard of cellular memory before but now feel that I have learned something as well having read a brilliant book . Well done Lisa Stone

Was this review helpful?