I was so excited to dive into Visions of Darkness! A heroine juggling two realities—one awake and one in a nightmare world—sounded totally up my alley. Throw in a forbidden romance, and I was hooked. Sadly, the execution didn’t quite deliver.

On the bright side, I loved the dark, cryptic vibes—it had this haunted, almost psychological thriller feel to it that I enjoyed. The idea of a dream-world war bleeding into reality was unique, and there were definitely some gripping moments scattered throughout.

That said, the story fell flat for me. The romance was nice, but the constant reminders of how much the characters loved each other got old fast. Their bond was clear through their actions, so the overexplaining felt unnecessary.

The world-building was another letdown. The lore had so much potential, but it was mostly dumped on the reader, which made the pacing drag. I really wanted a more natural, immersive exploration of the world.

And then there’s the cliffhanger—I will say it didn't cause me to gasp, but I'm sure some will find it very frustrating while waiting for a follow-up book to be written. While the premise was strong, the execution left me disappointed.

One thing I love is a good fantasy I love a book that can make me forget what's going on in the world and go into an imaginative world where the impossible happens and you meet characters and creatures you would never meet for real and this book had ot all

A.L. Jackson brings a fresh new fantasy idea to life in Visions of Darkness. I loved the whole story. It’s full of action and adventure as Pax and Aria run for her safety.

Fans of the burn the world down for her MMC will definitely enjoy Pax’s character. And Aria is no damsel in distress.

This is hands down one of my favorite fantasy novels I’ve read, and I’m sure will be a top read of 2025 of mine as well.

Fantastic Romantasy!
Very glad to have picked this title to be The Traveling Book Bus, Book of the Month for January.
I thought the story was original and the romance perfectly written. Can't wait for more.

I’m always nervous when a romance author releases a fantasy book and that was definitely the case here.

I wasn’t a fan of the setting of the book. If I’m reading fantasy, I expect to be in a new world, not set in America 🙈

AL Jackson is a great romance author, and there were parts of this one that I really enjoyed. The premise of the book was really cool, but there were just some parts of the execution where I struggled.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aria es una adolescente que, cada vez que se va a dormir, sueña con un mundo llamado Faydor, donde ella, junto a otros, debe luchar para derrotar al Kruen. Ella sabe que lo que vive no son sueños, sino la realidad, pero sus padres no le creen y piensan que está teniendo brotes psicóticos, por lo que quieren internarla.





Para ser el primer libro, no estuvo mal. Espero que en el siguiente se desarrolle mejor el mundo y se expliquen más cosas. Me esperaré hasta que se publique el último libro para retomar la lectura.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this story. It kept me intrigued. It was a lot of world building and getting to know the characters. Their relationship also felt very natural. Would definately recommend.

Visions Of Darkness was a discovery for me, I don't usually read fantasy because it involves paying a lot of attention to the description of the worlds and sometimes I get a bit lost, however with this book that was not the case.

It was captivating from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat totally absorbed by the story.
Aria and Pax completely swept me off my feet.

"Visions of Darkness" was unlike any other book by A.L. Jackson and I am here for it. I am not typically a fantasy reader, but the author is one of my favorites, so you know I had to give it a try. Great world building and easy to follow along!

dnf at 48%…. honestly this is going to be a major me thing than anything else, the premise of this book really hooked me and had me excited for it however i am just not a fan of fantasy set in the real world, i guess it didn’t click for me in the description that it would have been set in america.

i think that this book was extremely unique and very well done for being her first romantasy, it’s no secret AL is a phenomenal writer but at the end of the day this one just wasn’t for me personally

This fantasy is very unusual from my typical genre but being from a favorite author, I knew it would be good. While I felt it started off a little slow, Jackson quickly picked up the pace delving into Aria’s nightmare world and the one she had fallen for, Pax. Going against the rules of the underworld, Aria and Pax battle the evil forces that threaten to end her. That we still have more of their story to go,her fans will be excited for the next book.

firstly thanks to netgalley for the arc. now onto my review.
okay i fucking LOVED this. not usually a fan of “forbidden love” but FORBIDDEN SOULMATES???? YES. aria and pax are so 🩷❤️🩷❤️ i love them
need me a man like pax fr.
THE ENDING????????? WHAT IN THE FUCK. LIKE ACTUALLY. AND THE CLIFFHANGER????????? NEED MORE PLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLS
now onto what i wasn’t a fan of. i didn’t really like how it kept switching between first and third person when they were in tearsith and faydor, but it didn’t bother me enough that i couldn’t continue.
also, the emphasis on just how chiseled pax was, and how small and innocent aria looked was a little much. again not enough that i couldn’t look past it, just something i noticed. also, ik their eyes are a big thing, but once you’ve established that they’re gray you don’t need to put it in every sentence. it gets a bit much.
overall tho definitely recommend this. very very good. and i love the concept of it!!

This was definitely a really interesting premise to a book. I enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.

This is a departure from what I expect from this author and one I enjoyed very much. aria faced some difficult family dynamics in this imaginative world where she fought demons in her dreams and woke in the “real” world carrying the scars of her battle, which led to her parents being scared enough to try to force her into a mental hospital. The issue is that it allows the demons easier access to her. pax, her partner in the dream world and also, her soul mate, breaks the rules in order to save her (getting together in the real world risks him turning bad). Action packed with much lore, this ends in a cliffhanger with this story spanning who knows how many stories. I wish I knew because while I would love to read it, I would have liked to wait till after the series was done because I’m impatient! But a good start to the series! Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the early read.

This was so unique and took me on a journey to be honest, it had a night terrors feel, but what happens in your sleep is brought into reality which was scary.

Something I wish that had been cleared up early on in the book is them travelling successfully seems unlikely with authorities potentially hunting them. Like this lived rent free in the back of my mind that they were always one chapter away from getting caught up and distracted by law enforcement.

I like the details regarding the Laven and the enemy they tackle in the night. The way this does turn into a waking problem is interesting and creates good tension. I feel like there may be more hidden implications to the pairs meeting up in their waking life, and if there’s another book I would love to see if my theory is correct on that.

Whether it’s writing her tried-and-true romance novels or taking a departure into the realm of fantasy, A.L. Jackson has truly perfected the art of storytelling. Boasting a unique and compelling premise, “Visions of Darkness,” transports readers to another plane, taking them on one helluva fantastical ride. In the process, she delivers a story of a young girl with two realities that really strikes an emotional chord. Though a step outside my preferred genre, this spellbinding story pulled me in right from the get-go and held me in its grip right up until the very end. I can hardly wait for what comes next!

This dark romantasy from A.L. Jackson is quite a departure from her normal contemporary romance stories, but I know she has been wanting to write this for more years than I can remember, and I am so excited she finally got to bring her vision to life!

The fantasy world is one I have just recently started to delve into, and I must admit I am enjoying the stories I've read immensely! Aria and Pax, two souls united in the dream world along with the rest of their Laven family to fight and destroy a terrifying evil that seeps into the minds of people who are feeling weak or lost or down on their luck and turning them into monsters in the waking world.

Aria has long known that she was very different from the rest of her family, and unfortunately for her, they don't understand her at all and keep locking her away for her own good. But Pax, her soulmate in the dream world, comes for her in the waking world to rescue her from the evil that is hunting her. That is forbidden though, and comes with devastating consequences, or so they've been told. Sounds exciting, right! Oh, it is!

I was wholly captivated by this story, by the weight of responsibility that's been placed on each of the Laven who descend nightly to hunt and destroy the Kruen who constantly infect the minds of those weak enough to let them in. Amy does a great job of navigating the reader through Pax and Aria in the dream world, and then together in the waking world and all the dangers and evil that are chasing them there. I don't know how they were brave enough or strong enough to descend into the nightmare realm of Faydor night after night, knowing they were fighting the worst types of evil, and often waking with horrific wounds on their physical selves they sustained while in the dream state.

I had no trouble following this fantasy, I could visualize perfectly what was happening at all times. I did find myself skipping paragraphs ahead when the story got a little too wordy and all I wanted to know was what was going to happen next. Amy has a very lyrical style of writing which I love but every once in a while, it gets a little long in the tooth and takes me out of the action and I find myself skipping a bit. But overall, this story is fantastical and emotional and otherworldly and with the way it ended, I cannot wait to see what is in store next for Aria and Pax!

I love this author and love how she went to this genre! Ahhhhh, I can't wait for more! This had me from the second I started reading it! Thank you for the ARC

Every night when Aria falls asleep, she slips into another world. A world where she and her Nol (soulmate), Pax, fight the Kruen, evil beings hell bent on spreading evil and calamity into the real world.

Aria’s family thought she was just a little girl with an overactive imagination. No one believed her nightly adventures. As the years go by, the more concerned her parents become. It takes many years before Aria realizes this is a secret she has to keep if she wants to remain free and not be locked away in a mental health facility.

One day, Aria‘s mother discovers yet another concerning injury, this time on Aria‘s shoulder. Her parents think she may be suffering a psychotic break, but her injury came from the Kruen. At nearly 18 Aria fleas her childhood home, knowing she will never be believed.

In the real world, Aria and Pax have never met as it is against the rules, but their souls are connected in ways neither of them can imagine. When the dangers of Faydor begin mixing with Aria’s real world, the two must decide if breaking the cardinal rule is the only way to keep Aria safe.

Coming to my rating : out of 5 stars
Title :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the title is what in the first place attracted me to the book
Cover :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ beautiful cover, added to the beauty of the story.
Character development :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the developemnt of the characters, of araia and pax, as the story progressed, was well written. He becoming to love, and her gaining the strength and confidence, it was good.
Writing style :⭐️⭐️⭐️ the human emotions were well written, it made me connect deeper with the characters. Other descriptions and the characters lines, were good.
Originality :⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot :⭐️⭐️⭐️ the plot at few points seemed a bit repetitive and also the story at few points seem predictable. But other than that the story was quite engaging.
Overall :⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 stars. So i would round it off to 4.

A detailed review is on my goodreads, for which i have attached the link. And i would be soon posting the review of the book, in my instagram too. I will make sure to tag the author. And if possible share the link here.