Review: A Great Addition to the Series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 16, 2014
A good summary of the storyline is given above, so I'll just skip that part and give you an idea of what I liked and didn't like about the book. There are going to be some very minor spoilers in this review. You have been warned.What I liked:The story is engrossing and action-packed. It describes one battle in the war between the American and the European vampires. Andreas and Ari are on the defensive - both their home in Riverdale and their allies in Europe are under attack. On top of that, they have a traitor in their midst. I liked that the identity of the traitor kept me guessing. There are two suspects, but (s)he isn't revealed until the very end.Also, Ari's rescue of Andreas is plausible. She somehow has to find a way into a seemingly impenetrable castle. I really like that she doesn't use a previously unknown, super-secret tunnel or is suddenly able to perform miraculous but unlikely feats of magic. Her solution to the problem is certainly dangerous, but it makes sense in the circumstances.Plus, notice that it's Ari who rescues Andreas. It's a nice change to have a book where it's the hero who has to be rescued. Ari is strong and capable and makes for a wonderful heroine. Her relationship with Andreas is a joy to read. There is a nice amount of romance, but it doesn't dominate the storyline.We find out a little more about Andreas` past and his family. This poses some interesting questions for future books.What I didn't like:I'm not a big fan of coincidences. There are one or two scenes in the book that were just a little too coincidental. For example, Ari has to find a troll to obtain some information. She just so happens to save his niece from falling off a cliff minutes before meeting him. Naturally he's very eager to help her after that. It's not a big issue in the overall scheme of things, but it was enough to take me out of the story (and have me rolling my eyes) for a little while.Conclusion:An exciting and entertaining read. I'm already impatient for the next book in the series. The author now has a firm place on my list of auto-buys.I would recommend reading the previous four books before this one. It makes for a much better understanding of the overall storyline.