Review: A short & satisfying read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 29, 2013
Laura Kaye's Vampire Warrior Kings novellas are always a quick and satisfying read, and her recent release in the series, Taken by the Vampire King, is no exception.The only thing that stands between the Soul Eaters and Humans are seven remaining Kings. Strong, capable, and immortal vampire leaders of a group of distinguished warriors. But Henrik Magnusson suffers from a mysterious ailment that is slowly ending his life. Unable to retain the nutrients he needs from the Proffered's, human virgins trained in serving the blood needs of the warriors, he is aging and walking a fine line between Soul Eater and Vampire. It is only a matter of time before he will turn and his brother will be forced to take his life. His only hope is finding his mate before time runs out. When he rescues Kaira Sorenson from a Soul Eater, Henrik knows he has found the one. But can he control his blood lust long enough for her to decide whether she wants to be his or not?I enjoyed Taken By The Vampire King. Laura Kaye is always a guaranteed good read for me. However, this book didn't grab me like the first two in the series did. It just seemed to be lacking that extra little something that usually makes Kaye's books unforgettable.I liked the characters of Henrik and Kaira. Kaira is fighting a continuing battle with leukemia and her strength is commendable. Henrik's character is both heartbreaking and compelling. Like Kaira, he is fighting a battle within. But he fights with himself and the monster that he is turning into. It is destroying him to know what he will soon turn into, as it crushes those around Henrik that care for him as well. The connection that Kaira and Henrik share, and there instant willingness to fight for each other without really knowing one another, was a big appeal for me. Being a novella length story, this connection came about fast, but Kaye's masterful writing style brought credibleness to it. One of my favorite aspects about the story was the common interest between characters of the auroras. Being so far south I have never had the opportunity to witness one myself but they do fascinate me.Taken By The Vampire King can be read fine as a stand-alone but I would recommend reading the first two novellas beforehand so that you can get a better feel for the captivating world that Kaye has created in this series. I'm looking forward to more warrior vampire kings!3.5 Stars***A copy of this book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.