Within the Darkness (Wisteria Book 2)

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad." -- Aldous Huxley Aubrey has done it. She has teleported herself to "the hidden domain" and have managed to bring along her dream boy, Nathan, and nemesis/ex-besty Adelaide. But how could this be? They were all just at a party. No one knew getting into the backyard shed and saying the "magic words" would work. And the three are absolutely stunned. But the world Aubrey thought would be a wonderful paradise is actually a nightmare. As beautiful and enchanting as it is, Wisteria is like jumping down the rabbit hole with the Devil waiting on the sidelines. The people are different in this world. They are monsters, and not just physically. The Moss Wall is supposed to serve as a protection, separating the demons from the non-demons, but that doesn't mean Aubrey and her friends are safe. Non-demon Aristocrats are nasty and cruel, indulging in their favorite daily past-time: the torture of the red maidens. And as for the handsome demon boy who wants Aubrey's soul? "You'll never escape," warned fairies swooping down on her. But Aubrey, Nathan, and Adelaide won't go down without a fight. They simply must make it to the safe house and find their way out of the realm. Thankfully The Underground Annual is on its way. It is the biggest party, an explosive rave that happens once a year. And now it is their only window of opportunity. But will their plan succeed?Backstory: Some might think Aubrey Golding's character is too whiney and immature and that this book is too mature for coming of age. But I got to stay true. Not all 18-year-olds are into straight-laced stuff. Some have problems deeper than what is going on around them (read: mental health issues). More importantly, if you really look into the book you will see that Aubrey is suffering from what is known as borderline personality disorder. BPD is a severe mental illness and Aubrey wasn't created to glamorize this disorder. It is a very painful existence. In a lot of ways, Aubrey is me. Parts of this book reads almost like an addiction memoir of a very psychologically disturbed young lady. I wrote Aubrey for anyone else out there who goes through the same battles. I agree Aubrey's and even Bella's "Mean Girls" character can be triggering, as they are another layer to the horror and psychological roller coaster ride of this book. But in the end, if your heart makes it through the suspense, you will see how Aubrey gets through. I hope it will help anyone who is suffering the same. Having borderline personality disorder is no walk in the park. In the end, I wasn't writing for everyone. I wrote this suspenseful dark fantasy series for other girls and boys like me. I tried to find books out there with other characters like Aubrey, a fictional version of Elizabeth Wurtzel and Susanna Kaysen from Girl, Interrupted. But I couldn't. They all felt cookie cutter (to me) and like I couldn't relate. So warning, if you get offended by "dramatic" or "sensitive" girls seen as "weak" and not people actually suffering from an emotional disorder and STRONG to still be alive, then I'm sorry this book series (Wisteria) isn't for you.