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Kristy Dark
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The Summer of My Enlightenment Paperback – January 22, 2018

by Kristy Dark (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 56 ratings
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FIFTY SHADES OF GREY crossed with the chills of Stephen King...Vacationing in Italy, California girl Angie Vitelli encounters enigmatic spiritual celebrity Luciano Donatti (Luke) on a train when his girlfriend tragically falls to her death. A short time later they reconnect in the U.S. at a seminar Luke is conducting, and he asks Angie to become his student for the entire summer. The training will consist of martial arts, yoga, and something he calls “The Mystical Path.” But there are three conditions she has to agree to: (1) she can’t tell anyone where she is; (2) she has to do everything he asks, without question; and (3) she has to stay for the entire summer, no matter what she sees or hears. Intrigued by his impressive knowledge and skills, charisma, and physical appeal, Angie accepts Luke’s offer. But as their training takes unexpectedly terrifying twists and turns, she begins to question what his real endgame is.Light and love... or the darkest midnight of the soul?
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  1. Print length
    254 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    January 22, 2018
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.64 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1984127713
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1984127716
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristy Dark has written six novels, nine screenplays, a variety of short fiction and non-fiction, and is currently working on a new thriller novel. She has served as a Judge for the ITW Thriller Awards in the novel category, and is a member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. Her stories and screenplays have won numerous awards, and her work has been published in the Extremes 5 anthology, Writer's Digest's The Year's Best Writing, and other venues. An avid reader, she loves to hear from fellow readers and writers, and hopes you'll visit her website KristyDark.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter: https: //www.facebook.com/kristy.dark.18 https: //twitter.com/KristyDar

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (January 22, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1984127713
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1984127716
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.64 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 56 ratings

About the author

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Kristy Dark

Kristy Dark

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Kristy Dark is an award-winning writer and screenwriter who lives in the birthplace of the cosmic egg.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
56 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a complex psychological thriller with a very suspenseful mystery. The writing is well-executed, and customers describe it as a great read.

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9 customers mention "Suspenseful"7 positive2 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful, describing it as a complex psychological thriller and interesting study of obsession, with one customer noting its unexpected twists and turns.

"I liked this story a lot. The characters are intriguing and drew me in from the start. I usually only read at night, before bed...." Read more

"...fulfilment after a tragic event, but it's also an interesting study of the nature of obsession, infatuation and narcissism and the danger that..." Read more

"Wow! This story certainly had a lot of depth...." Read more

"...It's a nice twist on the genre. I can't say I was very sympathetic to Luke from the beginning and I've actually deeply studied Buddhism...." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one describing it as a great page-turner and another noting it's among the top novels in its genre.

"...Highly enjoyable read!" Read more

"...lust in almost equal measure has to rank up there with the top novels in this genre, and I have no hesitation in awarding it five stars." Read more

"...It was so confusing, but it kept me reading to the end. And I think that was the author’s goal from the start. Well done!" Read more

"...This is a very suspenseful mystery. Great job!" Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one describing it as an astounding read.

"...A well-written and complex psychological thriller, this book certainly kept me guessing...." Read more

"...Well- written, with excellent pacing. Highly recommended!" Read more

"The Summer of My Enlightenment by Kristy Dark is an astounding read. I was drawn in from page one with Dark's masterful character and world building...." Read more

"...The author does a great job of bringing you down the path of Angie’s enlightenment, while also laying clues to the troubles ahead...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • BajaLeslie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written, great page-turner
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I liked this story a lot. The characters are intriguing and drew me in from the start. I usually only read at night, before bed. But while reading this book, I found myself reaching for my Kindle at all hours of the day, wondering what would happen next! And there are definitely some unexpected twists & turns, right up until the very end. Highly enjoyable read!
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  • Book Squirrel
    4.0 out of 5 stars A complex psychological thriller.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    'The Summer of My Enlightenment' is , on one level, the story of Angela and her search for meaning and fulfilment after a tragic event, but it's also an interesting study of the nature of obsession, infatuation and narcissism and the danger that exists when they interact.

    A well-written and complex psychological thriller, this book certainly kept me guessing. There was suspense and frustration aplenty, and there were numerous surprises and twists along the way. Both of the central characters are flawed and conflicted, which often makes a reader sympathetic to one or both of them, which others very well may be; however, I found it hard to warm to either of them. This certainly added an extra layer of "chiller to the thriller" for me, but also added to my frustration because there was a large degree of dramatic irony involved in my reading of the story.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Wow! This story certainly had a lot of depth. Luke captivated me from the start as I, much like Angie, couldn't tell if he was light or dark, or somewhere in between. The story, while it touches on relationship themes, has more going on than that, in fact, the actual path to enlightenment was really my favorite part. Angie was sure braver than I would have been with some of the things Luke asked her to do.

    I found it moved at really nice pace. Actually, I started and finished it all in one day because I simply had to know what Angie would do next and what Luke really was all about. There was also another character, though less prominent who I was curious about and pleased with how that ended up. No names and no clues there as I don't want to ruin any one else's fun.

    If you are looking for a story that is as beautiful as it is thrilling, this one is that. I highly recommend you give this a read.
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  • Mr. T. J. Eyre
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spooky and disturbing read
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
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    This is a spooky read that has a definite 50 Shades of Grey feel about it. Angie's first encounter with Luciano Donatti is when his girlfriend either falls was pushed or encouraged to jump to her death from a speeding train. At a seminar sometime later Angie is invited to spend the summer training with Luciano.

    This story twists and turns its way through a series of events which includes Angie being hacked to death one limb at a time by Luciano's Samurai sword. Kristy Dark's depiction of Angie left me feeling uncomfortable with the contempt Luciano treats Angie with, and I could almost feel her terror at some of the "training," she is subjected to.

    Kristy's dark tale full of suspense, total domination, fear and lust in almost equal measure has to rank up there with the top novels in this genre, and I have no hesitation in awarding it five stars.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Melanie Forde
    3.0 out of 5 stars Creative, but ...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2020
    This was certainly an interesting read, one with lots of creativity. More of a Gothic romance than a mystery, it has elements of Poe and the Bronte sisters. The author does a solid job of setting an eerie scene. Unfortunately, my lack of empathy with the heroine undermined that willing suspension of disbelief so essential to paranormal themes. Angie struck me as hopelessly dimwitted. Yes, she’d just experienced a few losses that might leave her vulnerable. Yes, she’s only 23. But, my word, she has the common sense of a toddler playing with matches, a toddler who’s already been burned. As first-person narrator, Angie perpetually describes her Master in superlatives. I guess the intent was to paint Luke as so gobsmackingly gorgeous and talented that readers would find his influence over Angie completely credible. But all those superlatives grated on this reader, who very quickly assessed Luke as -- at best -- yet another narcissistic prick and --at worst -- a cute version of Jim Jones or Charlie Manson. For a while, the author developed a crescendo of tension, with each new “test” the heroine had to pass. But maintaining tension gets tricky if there are too many trials, especially when they lead to arduously gleaned insights that are then (repeatedly) dismissed. Because of my growing frustration with this back-and-forth process, the effectively creepy notes of Poe morphed into the comic notes of Python. There’s a lot of potential in this book, but for me, it wasn’t realized. Maybe a less jaded reader would find this novel engrossing.
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  • JB
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good twist on the psychological thriller genre
    Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a captivating, dark psychological thriller with a twist. Instead of a serial killer or something like that being the villain, you've actually got a karate master/yogi who writes self help books as the main antagonist. It's a nice twist on the genre.

    I can't say I was very sympathetic to Luke from the beginning and I've actually deeply studied Buddhism. There was just something deeply off and shallow to me about the way he spoke to his disciples. The book was well researched with the rituals and location, but there was just something about Luke that made him seem like a sham to me.

    The ending makes me wonder if this is the first in a bigger series
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  • Sherrie Hansen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Struggle for Control
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2018
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    The Summer of My Enlightenment draws you in, makes you feel like you are completely inside the main character's head, and won't let you go. I'd still be reading if the book hadn't ended. And what an ending! There were times I wanted to scream at Angie to leave and get away from Luke as fast as she could. But just as quickly, I forgave Luke, along with her, and had the irresistible urge to follow along and see what would happen next. The attention to detail and the vivid descriptions made the story, the characters and the setting spring to life while the struggle for control, obedience, and dominance wound tighter and tighter through betrayals, danger, legitimate yoga and martial arts lessons, and mysteries galore. Well- written, with excellent pacing. Highly recommended!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Book addict
    5.0 out of 5 stars A TRULY COMPELLING READ.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a beautiful read, set in magnificent Italy, and the heroine, Angela, is a compelling, exciting heroine. We first meet her as a young American on a train journey in Italy where she experiences an extraordinary and tragic scene. This is the first time she sets eyes on Luke, who will in the future become her Master. Luke is incredibly handsome, sensual, masterful, manipulative, dangerous and sexy. It is hard to know what drives him until near the end of the book when his tragic, gruesome childhood is revealed.
    He sets Angela some very challenging tasks, where she must trust him with her life. She is utterly besotted by her Master and will do anything to win his praise. He pushes her to the brink and beyond with his sporadic cruelty. There are so many twists and turns in this book which makes it hard to put down. I read it in a few hours and was utterly enthralled. I especially loved the Italian settings, and the glamorous locations.I loved the descriptions of the food, the wine, the plush surroundings, and the author clearly is under Italy's spell.The book provides much entertainment, and food for thought, and I enjoyed the many short but profound poems within. Part of me wants to go on a yoga retreat to Italy, and the other part of me hopes I never meet a man like the terrifying, but hugely seductive Luciano. Read it and recommend it to others. This summer read will leave you at the edge of your seat.
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  • Nelly Brown
    4.0 out of 5 stars A thriller with hidden depths...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a nicely constructed and well written story. A thriller with hidden depths revolving around two complex and engaging characters Angela and Luke. The theme had an existential touch for me. The struggle for the ongoing search for meaning and purpose. Please don't judge this book by it's cover which I feel is the only thing that lets it down. I would happily read more by this talented author.
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  • Lucy Alice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Different type of romance
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 3, 2019
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    This is such a different type of romance read. I kept waiting for the romance to unfold, but it went a totally different way and while I kept thinking it was going to go one way, it repeatedly surprised me by going another. I was never sure what I thought about the main male character, and at times I just pretty much despised him because he's a flat out jerk and not in any kind of sexy way... then he'd redeem himself for a moment, before doing the next jerky thing - argh! Great read with fabulous twists that will keep you guessing and never knowing how it's going to work out and just when you think it's over... another twist! Ha. Great writing, entertaining reading.
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