Midnight Awakening by Lara AdrianQuick Take: Loved it! My fave so far. The two leads were a great and compelling match. I'd recommend having read book two before jumping into the series with this book.
Book Description:
With a dagger in her hand and vengeance on her mind, Darkhaven beauty Elise Chase prowls Boston’s streets in search of retribution against the Rogue vampires who took from her everything she cherished. Using an extraordinary psychic gift, she tracks her prey, well aware that the power she possesses is destroying her. She must learn to harness this gift, and for that she can turn to only one man—the deadliest of the Breed warriors, Tegan.Review:
No stranger to loss, Tegan knows Elise’s pain. He knows fury, but when he slays his enemies it is with ice in his veins. He is perfect in his self-control, until Elise seeks his aid in her personal war. An unholy alliance is forged—a bond that will link them by blood and vow—and plunge them into a tempest of danger, desire, and the darkest passions of the heart. . . .
I'm glad to note that thus far, I've enjoyed each Midnight Breed book more than the last. Granted, I've only finished three installments now, but the direction of the trend is a very promising one. In this story we're treated to a closer look at Tegan, the most closed and inaccessible of the Breed warriors. Up to now he's seemed stone-cold and emotionless, observations that are only solidified by the fact that his emotion-affected dermaglyphs--tattoo-like markings that the Breed are born with--are always at an innocuous, neutral shade.
I for one didn't think much of Tegan in the first two books. It seemed almost as though he was intentionally painted into the proverbial wordwork. ^_^ I was pleased that his core-personality does not change, but that greater understanding of his motivations was gained. His nominal pairing with Elise didn't seem to make sense before I picked up this book, but I was made a believer by the end, that's for sure. He's now my favorite of the Order warriors.
The plot moved at a wonderfully steady-yet-engaging pace, and I went through the whole book eager to read what was to follow. The romance is admittedly slow-going, but I felt it was actually better that way, as the characters' (considerable) emotional turmoil was given fair treatment. The entire "regular" cast was involved in the main plot line in some way, though the narrative perspective stayed mostly with the two leads. It worked out well, and I felt like I was getting the best of both worlds: an intimate glimpse at Tegan and Elise as they slowly came together, and meaningful portrayals of the other members of the Order. Not to mention a broadened scope of the overall series. I dug it all. ^_^
Now, this book can technically be read stand-alone with minimal confusion. But I would highly recommend that newcomers read book two (Kiss of Crimson) before jumping into this book. Doing so will provide greater context and a deeper emotional understanding of the heroine, Elise Chase.
This book only further solidifies my affinity for this series. I see that Rio is up next as lead hero, and I couldn't be more excited. Yay, Breed!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I admit I run hot and cold overall with this series, but THIS is my FAVORITE of the series. I still love Tegan the most after reading all of the up til the most recent one. I didn't think I'd really care for Elise that much, but she completely kicked ass. Awesome book!
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