Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! I just finished another book tonight and time for another review!

Title: Dark Designs
Author: Stephanie Spangler

Disclaimer: This book review is based on thoughts and opinions of the lead writer of this blog. Please respect her thoughts and opinions on this book. There might be spoilers ahead.

Synopsis: Even though they’re opposites but twins Ivy and Violet Grant have one thing in common and that is their magic. Ivy has returned to Oak Hill after being away for college and returns and notices how her sister, Violet, who is often quiet, a little distant from her because she thinks that she would act like their mother who had left them. Charlie Logan, a former farm hand, has been obsessed with Ivy Grant for many years and finds a book with dark magic during a burglary and decides to use it in order to get his hands on Ivy again.

With the help from their grandmother, both Ivy and Violet must use their magic practices in order to defeat Charlie and the dark demon within him in order to keep Ivy away from him or they’re doomed.

Thoughts: Even though this book was fast but it was too fast because of how much each chapter had and ended a bit too quickly. I don’t mind the short chapters since there are times where so much story is told and it feels like forever before the next one starts. Spangler is pretty good at writing, I did notice that there were times where some things were missing from the plot such as how did the girls knew that they can do magic for instance or what kind of book Charlie may have found. Even though there were parts where some explanation took place like Audrey, their grandmother, getting her magical talent and how the spell book hat their family had contained information she needed there should have been a bit more to explain. I did notice in the description how both sisters were practicing their magic but I didn’t see it much because I mostly see them bickering, Violet being with her new boyfriend, Kevin, and them being with Audrey. I wished they would’ve focused on them starting to use it slightly more since this is a story about magic after all and could’ve explained what kind of magic they used. I do notice how it kind of felt like Dresden Files with using ritual items like candles, blood, sticks to write things down, even matches, and stones, I am thinking if I were to get this right and that is they might be using Wicca in the book due to Ivy’s friend from college was also Wiccan and did give her a blade with a stone that did help take down Charlie. I don’t want to give away too much but I think this book could’ve had more explanation to the magic itself and I did like the character back stories that led up to how Charlie was stalking Ivy but could have shown his obsessions towards her a little more and could probably show him talking with the spirit a little more that was taking him over as the book progressed. Besides my nit picking, I did like how Violet was acting on the more big sisterly role, not sure who is supposed to be the older one since there are times where one twin is born a few seconds to a minute more than the other from what I hear, I think it may be Violet due to how much she has been looking after Ivy even in this book when Charlie was coming after her. Also, I did like how she was acting on not only as sister but the replacement mother which she was angry towards her which I take it’s due to leaving the both of them or it’s just probably due to the magic part, we don’t really know since it was rarely talked about. I do remember Audrey mentioned that their mom left because she didn’t understand the magic they possessed and didn’t want to learn it. Wishing that was explained a little more too.

Rating: 3 Out of 5 Star Paw Prints! I know it is a bit of a harsh rating but I feel like the characters’ motivations needed to be Dark Designs by. Stephanie Spanglerexplained a little bit more. I get that Charlie Logan is obsessed with Ivy and I wonder why he is obsessed with her. Was the dark magic book necessary and how was it tied in? I understand that Violet is mad at their mother, why was she mad at her? Audrey talks about why their mother left, is it due to the magic or is it that she is that wild? These questions still made me wonder and not sure where Spangler was going with this book and wishing that some points were explained a little more. There was some back story which I did like and wishing there was a little more to it even towards the Grant family even with the magic explanations even where there was a matching book to Charlie’s. Plus, I felt this book went a little too fast and wishing it slowed down a bit so I could get a breath in between chapters even with the action.

Well, that is about it for this review, I know it was a little fast and a long explanation to some things but the book was good except it should’ve been worked on a little more and that’s my opinion. Well, next post will be my review on Omni, it is taking a bit since I have been busy the past week and my Braille Sense needed a major recharge since Gondras had my charger for the rest of the weekend. I really need that Polaris! Anyways, until next time!