Eternal

I have been eagerly anticipating the book I knew would follow Tantalize without being its sequel. I was so thrilled on Thursday the 12th when I learned it’d just come out finally! I ran out and got it and it was my Spring Break reading. I loved it! I thought it was better than Tantalize. I was more attached to these characters- and in love with Zachary, the fallen guardian angel of Miranda, a girl just turned into a vampire. He's trying to save her soul but he loves her and at times that conflicts him. Don't be misled though, it's a dark story that highlights the battle between good and evil. Vampirism isn't romanticized here. Think of how centuries of rich selfish bestial beings have developed a society where they are in control of vast resources. Zachary's been given the task of trying to make a dent in their cruelty.
When I read Tantalize, it seemed as if I missed things. Especially at the end- it really took me by surprise. And what a cliffhanger! I did notice that at times with Eternal, it was like things were happening in between chapters that didn't get put in the book. But much less than in Tantalize and it was more understandable considering the alternating narrators. I did wonder if maybe the publisher made the author cut out some of the writing. The ending is satisfactory in my opinion, as opposed to that of Tantalize. Some readers may not agree with me! I will be avidly awaiting the third book in the universe!

Can't get enough vampire lit!

Ahhhhhhhh! I LOVE sinking my teeth into vampire books! Hahahahahahahahaha! Seriously though, I am hooked- or is it addicted? One of my favorite vampire series is Vampire Knight- which is actually manga. The author is Matsuri Hino, who also wrote MeruPuri. That's another great series, btw. So, we are now drooling over the 4th installment. I find that with most graphic novels, I tend to forget details of the plot. It's kinda hard to follow, honestly. It would be great if they had plot outlines you could read up on- especially when it's like 6 months in between publications. Did I digress?
I guess I'm not going to bother with filling you in on the details of vol. 1-3. If I can. So in vol. 4, it starts out with murmurs over the new Night Academy student. I'll skip names where I can. I think you only need to know Yuki, Zero and Kaname. This new girl is apparently a pureblood vampire (like Kaname) using someone else's body. I guess that might be to disguise herself. Although it certainly doesn't take long for anyone to figure out her true identity. She is the vampire who bit-killed-saved?- Zero. It's important to remember that he was/is a member of a really hardcore vampire hunting family. Well, if you had forgotten, he remembers the event for you in a series of flashbacks. So she really screwed his life up.
Before I go on, let me inform you that the whole novel is taking place around the ball where both Night and Day students get to mingle and dance. Just a little sidelight, but it makes for an interesting setting. Yuki offers her blood to Zero at one point, and I think it is during this moment of weakness that he reveals the new student's true identity to her. She runs off in search of the new villian, but I'm not the least bit sure what she was planning to do. She is told at this point that she can save Zero from becoming a Level E (uncontrollably evil?) vampire in one of two ways. She can kill Kaname (because it is only around Yuki that he lets his guard down- mysteriously) or by offering her blood to the new pureblood.
The night of the dance she makes her decision easily in light of her admiration- or is it love?- for Kaname. So she runs off again to find the transfer student/vampire. Just before the she is bitten, Zero shows up to save her, but Yuki heroically tries to martyr herself. It's all so dramatic. Ooh, but then, right at the end, someone new shows up to complicate things even more. Are you ready for this? It's Zero's long lost twin brother!!!!!!!! I think Zero actually got a sword through his arm somewhere in all the confusion of who is on whose side, who is protecting who and all that whatnot. Do you see why I want a plot outline? But it's all good. Very easy to fall in love with the characters of this story, especially with the cute side stories the author includes.