"a must read series for fans of historical paranormal"
Joss Hyde-White, son of celebrated vampire hunters Jon and
Cassandra Hyde-White, is in search of answers. He's
plagued by a condition of sorts and only his somewhat
equally afflicted parents can begin to be of any help in
the matter. Unfortunately, they have gone missing and Joss
has no choice but to return to their country estate, fears
of becoming vampire following in his wake. On the way a
blinding snowstorm wipes out the land and he comes upon a
carriage, its occupants savaged by what looks like a wolf.
Since wolves are not native to England, Joss knows the
creature to be of the foulest sort. Finding a lone
survivor within the carriage, a young woman, he takes her
on to his estate, where it no longer feels like home and
at any moment they could be face to face with a monster of
legend. Cora awakens to a strange landscape, one where reality has
quite gone round the bend. Suddenly, vampires are real,
but the small beauty is resolute, for she's born a great
tragedy already. In the face of the oddest of odds, can
she trust the man who saved her life? Though he stirs her
blood and passion, his claims urge her to run, and far
away. When the foulest of night's creatures begin to
converge though, led still by the relentless Sebastian,
Joss more than proves his trustworthiness. Soon he and
Cora, along with the help of the gypsy Milosh, must stand
against an army that wants them dead...or undead at the
very least. The time has come once again for The
Brotherhood to answer the call for which they were born
to: to rid the world of this evil menace. I love the way the suspense moves through this
installment. The first book, Blood Moon, began with such a
wham bam take off and didn't slow down for a second. I was
no less enthralled with this one and was pleased to see
that pace continuing. It's been about thirty years between
each book's storyline, but with Sebastian just now
surfacing again, it's an understandable stretch of time.
Joss is a character that's running a little blind. His
condition is different from that of his parents and he
evolves interestingly throughout the book in regards to
it. In true Hyde-White tradition, he remains steadfast in
avoiding any bloodlust and focuses on ridding the world of
the vampires that can't, or won't, resist. He's heroic,
especially where Cora is concerned. I did wish he'd given
her a little space when he found out what her tragedy was,
but then their romance unfolds and in light of their
desperate circumstances, I was impressed with just how
believable they were. Cora is not a wilting willow and she
turns out to be the perfect woman to relate to Joss. Not
to say she gave him an easy time of it. There are scenes
that amused me with Joss's exasperation of her and I quite
agreed with how he handled them. Together, they look to
make as formidable a pair as his parents did in Blood
Moon, which is exactly what the Brotherhood needs. This
can be read as a stand alone, but why would you want to do
that? I advise reading the first one as well. Now if only
I had Milosh's story right now. He plays a very important
role in this book and I've a feeling is what will bind the
series together seamlessly by the end of his. "The
Ravening" is set for release in March 2008 of all times!
Personally, that's too far away, but in hindsight, I know
I'll be extra ready for it by the time it hits the
shelves. I'll keep telling my impatient self this, Ms.
Thompson. Good job, great story and thanks for writing it.
Reviewed by Kenda Montgomery
Posted August 10, 2007
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Joss Hyde-White left London for answers about who and what he was. What he found, with night falling, Cornwall consumed by a snowstorm quickly obscuring the road, was a carriage--a brougham by the look of it--its snow-covered horses standing like two ghosts, and a scene of horror interrupted within. A chestnut-haired beauty lay prone, requiring his assistance. But safety was not easily provided. On this night that brought to mind vampires and the foulest creatures of myth, through the whirling snow and growing darkness, it was difficult to tell man or woman from beast. From this moment forward, no one and nothing could be trusted--not even his own instincts, be they to kiss or kill. Joss was on the road to the truth, and that would lead to the secret of his parents, to the Blood Moon Rite of ancient Persia, to the enigmatic Milosh, the Gypsy, and...THE BROTHERHOOD. From the Publisher
The second in the BLOOD MOON Series. Book 3 coming Spring of 2008 - THE RAVENING.
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