Keisha is so confused. She’s starting her senior year which she’s very excited about, but she had just gotten out of a dark time. She had lost beloved boyfriend Andy to suicide. Just before this, one of her best friends Robbie had gotten in a car crash in which Andy was driving the car. So, if you haven’t put the pieces together yet, Andy was overcome with guilt of “killing Robbie” and he couldn't get over it, so he killed himself. Keisha had just come out of a dark hole of depression from all of this, and she thinks she might even be rising above it all, until something grabs her and pulls her back down again.


In Sharon M. Draper’s page turning book Darkness Before Dawn, it shows senior year through the eyes of class president Keisha Montgomery who is getting over her ex-boyfriend’s death, falls for an older man who she probably shouldn’t. His name is Jonathan Hathaway, and he is the principal’s gorgeous 20 year old son. All the girls like him, except for Keisha, but he has his sights set on her and Jonathan Hathaway always gets what he wants.


Even though Keisha’s parents warn her not to fall for him, she falls for Jonathan anyway. I think she should have listened to her parents and just completely stayed away from him. At first she has a wall built up to resist him but his sweetness and great looks slowly break down the barrier, until the point where she is calling him every night and sneaking out on dates with him more and more often.


Mr. Perfect might not be so perfect after all. Since he is a teacher and she’s a student, they can't exactly be seen at the upcoming Valentines day dance together. So Keisha goes to the dance with her friend named Leon, so she can have a cover. Leon is a great guy who has liked Keisha for as long as he can remember. Then she leaves early from the dance claiming she has a headache. She & Jonathan leave the dance at the same time, but not together. Keisha has Leon drive her home, and when he leaves, Jonathan picks her up.


He takes her back to his place... and eventually everything leads to this, “Jonathan never took his eyes from me. He calmly wiped off his face,” (She had spit on him) “then reached into his pocket once more. This time he brought out a small, silver handed knife. It gleamed with sharp intention in the darkness. I felt it’s sharp, pointed tip at my neck. ‘Silence!’ he said quietly. ‘Do as I say and you won't get hurt. Relax. Thats what I’ve been telling you all evening. Just relax.’ The soothing voice was back, but his tone was harsh and cruel.”


When I read this part, I felt Keisha’s fear. Jonathan was scaring me as if I was the one there. I think I knew that there was something wrong with him; he was just too... perfect seeming for me to believe he was really perfect.



Before I tell you how much I absolutely love, love, love this book, I should tell you about the first two books in the trilogy. The first one is Tears of a Tiger, which tells about Robbie’s death. The second book is Forged by Fire and it tells about another friend of theirs named Gerald. I suggest you read these two before you read Darkness Before Dawn, so that you get a better understanding of what happens in the book.


When I read this book, I fell in love. With the characters, the dialogue, the plot line, everything. Draper’s writing is so vivid, so detailed, I felt like I was there. There were points where I wanted to cry, and at other parts I laughed out loud! I could honestly say I could see it like a movie in my head. Draper’s writing never ceases to amaze me. With every page I felt like I couldn't put it down and I had to keep reading.


Overall, I liked Darkness Before Dawn a lot. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a page turner about a girl who overcomes her fears and troubles with the help of her friends. Because in the end, true friends always come through for you. My rating? 10/10. Well done, Sharon Draper!