Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.
Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.
Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.
My Review ~
I have to say I was nervous about reading this Midnight Breed novel. After reading Darker After Midnight, there were rumors that someone was going to die. That was it, that was the rumor, so of course the first characters you think of are the ones you have the strongest connection to in the series. For me, that was almost all of the Order. I couldn't stand the thought that one of those big, sexy vampires would fall. I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. The book blurb only says Kellan has disappeared, that doesn't necessarily mean that he died. So to me, it was still up in the air.
Then we had the fact that this installment takes place 20 years after the end of Darker After Midnight. After the Breed has become public knowledge. I was nervous that having that big of a time gap would leave us having to learn a whole new world. Also, we were going to be missing some battles. I love some battle scenes! I was also curious about how I would feel about the young'uns growing up. Whether I would feel the connection to them at all, or if it would be even stronger because I knew them from when they were small.
So, the time comes to start reading. I nervously swipe the screen and get pulled right in.
Mira is all grown up now and has become one kick ass character. She's not a vampire, but she can fight with the best of them. Her Breedmate specialty does not give her any edges on the playing field, but it may actually be the cause of her worst pain. I was a little surprised. I have one scene of Mira from the previous books stuck in my mind. In that scene she is a little girl, out in the snow romping with Tess's and Alex's dogs. I envisioned her pampered and protected by Renata and Nikolai. I never imagined her as a hard trained warrior. But, she is, and she's good at it.
Kellan is another one I didn't envision as a warrior. For some reason I pictured him being coddled. I don't know why I thought that, because I can also see his point in wanting to be a part of the Order after they saved him. I think I just compared him to Nathan and he came out as less of a bad ass. He's still a bad ass though!
After 20 years together, Mira and Kellan have grown closer despite Kellan's outer walls. The test will be if that relationship can withstand opposite sides of a war. I couldn't believe that Kellan left the Order to begin with. I still don't understand his reasoning! Who wouldn't want to fight along side those guys?
We get introduced to a whole new group of warriors, who I'm sure we'll get to know better in upcoming books. Personally though, I can't wait to read about Nathan. A new, dangerous enemy is revealed in this book, and the mystery of what this enemy's capabilities are will keep me reading.
The story pulled a lot of emotions from me. I felt Mira's strong need for revenge, her anger at the rebels, and then at Kellan. I was angry, sad, angry again then sad again. What a roller coaster ride this book was! I'm all hyped up just thinking about it. In fact, even though my copy is a review copy from Netgalley, (thank you NETGALLEY) I STILL purchased a Virtual Signed copy. I plan on doing a reread soon, this book was that good. Definitely a 5-star from me!
To celebrate the release of Edge of Dawn, Rantings of a Reading Addict is hosting a giveaway! The amazing Lara Adrian has contributed a SIGNED copy of Kiss Of Midnight. This is the book that started it all, and you will get it SIGNED, I am so jealous! The giveaway will also include a set of bookmarks and a temporary tattoo so you can identify yourself as a breedmate! I put mine on my kindle case and it looks awesome!
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