I was not expecting this series, A Hidden Fire, This Same Earth, The Force of Wind, and A Fall of Water to keep me engaged, but they did. Granted, the first one I enjoyed the most. Then there was a bit of “damnit, I don’t like leaving books unfinished.”
This series is vampiric romance. Which if that isn’t a real genre – you all know what I’m talking about. There will inevitably be the comparisons to Twilight. I will start with that this series is about ten billion percent better than Twilight. Granted, I don’t see that as a terribly high bar to clear.
I think my greatest disappointment is that Beatrice is a librarian, a historian, but it doesn’t really matter. She is set up to need this information, but it isn’t the final solution. Hell, she doesn’t actually use it that much. It’s there. It IS a plot point. I just wish it had been more.
I am also going to give Twilight credit for having more than just vampires (there are actually werewolves and shapeshifters). Hunter only has vampires without any explanation why. Where are werewolves or mermaids or anything else? Why just vampires?
Lastly, especially by the final book, there is an amount of Mary Sue feeling to the power level of the vampires in the series. First there is reference to a 5,000 year old vampire, then her thousands-beyond-sire. Then even older and even older… They don’t need to eat or sleep; they are smarter and faster and stronger and hear and see and smell better than a human. Not just beautiful, they also have to be supernaturally smart.
I think what really had me disappointed and set me in a negative frame of mind is the librarian thing. Otherwise this is fine. It’s a stupid vampire romance, but it isn’t not fun. It is absolutely a fun romp. And there is definitely something to be said for “dumb and fun” books. There is just enough twists and character and world, I kept reading.
If you want a romance and you can stand the vampires-are-so-cool-not-blood-sucking-monsters thing, this is a world better than most. I like that Hunter wanted Beatrice to be a strong, independent woman. She really is (almost Mary Sue “omg she is like sooooo amaze-balls). I like that Beatrice has a human friend who is a real friend and not just a “oh the vampire is busy right now” friend.
Borrow these from a library, they are a good read as we come up on Halloween. Grab a large glass of Cabernet and curl up beside a fire. You can read it with the lights off and appreciate the escape into silly vampiric romance.
Dream by Day 