Release Date: February 26, 2013
Format: Galley
Pages: 288 (Hardcover)
Source: NetGalley, Courtesy of Delacorte Press
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Review Date: January 31, 2013
Rating: 5 bookmarks
Synopsis: Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.
Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.
Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts
Disclaimer: I received this book as a galley courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This story centers around Mira and Kellan. Before this book, we only saw Mira as a 8 year old with special abilities which one can see their future by looking into her mirror like eyes. Kellen was a 13 (I think) year old dealing with a lot of grief as his whole family had been murdered, except his grandfather. Reading about Mira and Kellan as adults was pretty interesting to say the least. I liked that Mira wasn't your typical Breedmate. Like Renata, she is a warrior also. I enjoy reading about women who are equally strong as the men they end up with. Mira's character is definitely strong, yet sensitive, she cares deeply for her friends, family and Kellan. She is far from perfect,she has a temper and can be hot headed, but it's impossible not to like her. Kellan obviously has some serious issues and has told some serious lies. In the end, even though he went about things in the wrong way, I still felt bad for him and felt that he and Mira deserved to start again.
I like that we got some background to fill in the gap of 20 years that passed from the previous book. It was pretty cool to get an update of sorts about many of the Order's couples and to get a glimpse of how their now adult kids all interact with each other. There are no wasted pages spending too much time recapping the all previous books. We get little bits here and there to refresh our memory, which is good. The story was off and running at page one and didn't pause for a moment. The pace of this book is fast and consistent and you'll surely get pulled into it quickly.
There was a slight twist in the story a toward the end (I'm not saying what), but it was unexpected and yet made total sense. I love having those "Ah hah" moments.
It takes a truly talented writer to interweave seamlessly so many different characters and story lines. Lara Adrian does that perfectly. I was so happy to see characters from the past sprinkled all throughout this book. I loved the new turn the series has taken and I can't wait to read what's next.
If you're a fan of the Midnight Breed series, then this is a must read. If you're new to the series and want to check it out, start from the beginning. This series is so good, you'll be caught up in no time.
Happy Reading,
~Tamara
Click here to read my review of Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed Series, #10).