My number 3 top pick of the summer would have to be Darkness Devours by
Keri Arthur. When the first book of this series came out, let's just say it
didn't quite live up to fans' expectations, mine included. Then again, coming
behind a great, truly unique, series'.....those are some very hard shoes to
fill. That being said, when I picked up Darkness Devours, all my faith in
Arthur came back online, and she made
remember just what a terrific author she truly is.
Number 2, that would be Consumed by Rebecca Zanetti, another
true great. And, hello, I think the title itself says it all! Conn and Moira's
tale was a highly anticipated one, and to say Zanetti didn't disappoint would be the biggest understatement
of the year. Of all the mates thus far, Moira's is by far my favorite.
Determined to not allow fate decide who she is, or who she'll be with, she takes
her destiny into her own hands, and gives Conn a run for his money along the
way. One of the things I truly loved about this book? The fact that theirs was a love that built over time, not
just a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. That, and Moira being a kick-ass
heroine in her own right.
***Drum-roll please*** Finally, the
best for last, Shadow Walker by the great, and truly missed, L. A. Banks.
Shadow Walker was to be the first book in a spin off series following the
terrific Neteru series', featuring the
children of the entire gang. The setting was the aftermath of the apocalypse, where a school has been set up to
train all of the remaining guardian children. The original Guardians of Light,
as well as the Neteru couple itself, are
also there stirring things up. And Sarah Rivera, tho seemingly timid at first,
towards the end, proves just how much like her father she truly is, fangs and
all. All of the children to up traits from their parents' as well; half-Valkyrie/half-vamp, half-angel/half-vamp, a
seer possibly even more powerful than her mother, so on and so forth.
This first book proved to be a fantastic beginning to what seemed to be the
end. Sadly, it was not meant to be, for Mrs. Banks time was cut short this past
year on August 2, 2011. She will forever be missed by fans everywhere, but she
will forever be immortalized in the pages of her books.
