Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Title: Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades of Grey ~ Book 2)
Author: EL James
Publication Date: September 15 2011
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
ISBN: 1612130585
Length: 546 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

I am completely and utterly in love with Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. I am in a word captivated by their love story. I have become very protective over these stories and find myself feeling like I must defend it against those who have given them bad reviews. I read the negative reviews and wonder how people can so greatly differ in opinions in regards to such a beautiful story. But as they say, this is what makes the world go around. I for one am very happy that I am part of the "I love it" camp as even thinking about these two characters brings a smile to my face and this must be a good thing.

In Fifty Shades Darker we see a 'younger' Christian. We finally see a shy smile, his boyishness and of course his need to protect Ana at all costs is at an utmost high. I did find myself yelling at my Kindle a few times when it came to Ana. I didn't catch myself doing this in part 1 but a few times she irritated me to no end. She is not one that should be allowed to say that Christian is moody, she is in my opinion more moody than him in part 2. Yes he is exhausting with his need to protect her, see I do not use the word control because I do not see it like that. This is a man who is haunted by his childhood. He was not protected, he has found love and now he wants to protect that. However, by the second half of the book she proved herself to me yet again and the annoyance I was feeling eroded away. Ana has just as hard a time as Christian when it comes to believing that the other could love them.

I also hate myself for saying this but I dislike Kate. She annoyed me in part 1 and even more so in part 2. Thankfully she was not around much, however for the brief moment she is I wanted nothing more than to slap her. I know she is Ana's friend but I just want her to mind her own business.

There are so many parts of this book that I will always remember. I have honestly laughed out loud, I have found myself holding my breath during tense scenes, I have smiled until I feel silly at doing it and I have cried. I have honestly lost how many times I have cried during Fifty Shades Darker. Christian's story affects me, it is really as simple as that. And being able to see him overcoming all he has gone through, to fight for his right to love and be loved. Well, lets just say it is a beautiful thing to witness. When he knelled before Ana, afraid of her running... it was so heartbreakingly sad and beautiful at that same time.

I could not praise these books any higher and am so thankful that I decided to read them. I was hesitant to start as when I would ask others what they were about the only answer given to me was 'sex'. These books are about so much more. There is sex yes (and lots of it) but it is those moments that help define these two people. Those moments have so much changed from part 1 into part 2. It shows how they are changing and growing with the help of each other.

I am now off to start the final part, Fifty Shades Freed. I am both excited and saddened by this. I can not wait to immerse myself yet again in their lives but feel I will be quite sad when there is not another book for me to start.