Harlequin Teen
April 15, 2014
416 pages
add to Goodreads/buy from Book Depo/or Amazon
*Contains some spoilers - both in summary and review - for Book 2, The Eternity Cure (my review)*
VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS
Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?
With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.
MONSTER
Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.
In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.
The Blood of Eden series, started in 2012 with The Immortal Rules (review) followed by The Eternity Cure (review) in 2013, comes to a close in The Forever Song.
The Forever Song is like a road trip . . . you know, if you were a vampire, on a road trip with other vampires and planning to kill a psychopath vampire, intent on unleashing a deadly virus, at the end of the trip.
Allison is a different as they track Sarren on his way to Eden, hoping they can catch up to him. In The Eternity Cure some of who Sarren is and just what he was capable of became apparent at the end. Now, we see how it affects Allison. With Zeke murdered by Sarren, she not only has more incentive to catch the madman, but less to hold on to her humanity.
Anyone's grief would be outstanding, but we see what it does to a vampire who had been struggling not to become a monster, not to lose herself. Interestingly, the change in her character did have me a little bit worried for Allie, but I was also curious where it could take the story.
in Forever Song we're able to see the full extent of what Sarren is capable of. It seems that nearly ever turn in the road, every development unveils something else horrific and/or twisted that he had done. Usually worse than the thing before it.
Despite the group growing closer, bonding in a way, you cannot help but worry what will happen when they do finally encounter Sarren. Even if it isn't too late.
There was a bit of romance included, but it was the weakest - or least developed - aspect. It was necessary for some important growth in all of the characters, for tension, grief and even humor, but there wasn't as much feeling as in the earlier books. With all of the impending possible doom, death, destruction, it was not much of a problem that the romance was lacking. The chemistry I would have liked was missing, but it was all such a part of the larger story that it was okay.
The plot of 'track Sarren down and kill him,' seems simple. That objective, however, is not so easily accomplished. Through the roadblocks and obstacles they encounter readers not only get a fuller picture of the threat they're facing in Sarren, but of who the characters are as well.
As each new situation tests them individually and forces them to work together, we see more of who they are, who they can be. Both the good and the bad.
The Forever Song is definitely about its characters - who they were, who they are, what it's possible for them to become - but the action is far from gone. As with the other books in the series, there is violence, there are fights, there is gore and written very well. The parts that should be disturbing, are. The parts that should make you feel and worry for the characters, do.
All leading to one fantastic ending. I hate to see this series go, but am incredibly pleased with the send-off it received.
Rating: 9/10
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my egalley for review
pretty nice blog, following :)
ReplyDelete