Review: It has problems, but it's good.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 28, 2010
I think I'll start this review with what I didn't like.  It felt as though there was some questionable editing.  Not something I usually notice, errors happen, even with good editors.  Humans make and miss mistakes no matter how perfect we'd like them to be and who am I to complain, I'm neither an editor nor a writer.  Still,  when *I* am noticing them, it's probably a problem.  (Ex.  "She looked around her, hers eyes darting over every face...."  Hers eyes?).Also it felt like the author struggled to find words at times.  I was starting to get a serious case of déjà vu about the hundredth time that she knitted certain characters brows to express an emotion.  I was also left wondering how many times one could intimate something.  There were times that things like this made me want to finally just say: you can use other words.  It's actually unfortunate as I do feel that those things distracted from a fairly decent story.  Which leads to what I did like, the story itself.Prophecy is a vampire who has been locked up in her home, for... well she doesn't seem to know how long.  In fact, she doesn't seem to know much of anything, including why all of the other vampires get to hunt whereas she does not.  When she asks her mother when she'll be allowed to hunt with the others in their family, she is told only that her time will be soon.  Impatient, she sneaks out, meeting Valentine.  Valentine being a fellow Vampire.  A forbidden fellow vampire as he belongs to a different bloodline.  The rules are very clear in this vampire world. Vampires do not consort with vampires of differing bloodlines.  Except in their case, it appears they may not have a say in the matter, as we quickly learn that perhaps her name is not just a name.  There is a prophecy and depending on who you ask it's either about the fate of  vampires or maybe of the entire world.  And yes, Prophecy is smack dab in the center of said prophecy.  The problem with this prophecy is that there are two takes on it.  Valentine will have to choose between staying true to his own family by killing Prophecy or risking his own life (and hers) to find out which version is the truth.And now onto what I'm on the fence about.  Generally when reading a series I like for the book to be its own book.  Sure, there will be continuing story lines,  but each book should stand on its own.  This is not really that.  It ends with a major cliffhanger.  I'd prefer that not to happen until later in the series once I'm more invested in it.  I feel as though I HAVE to keep reading, like it or not, as this adventure isn't yet done.  Luckily, despite its flaws I really do care about the characters enough to WANT to know what happens, otherwise I'd be ticked that I'd have to buy the next book if I want to know about how the adventure from this book ends, not to mention the fate of a major character is left up in the air.