Saturday, December 27, 2014

Dusk by Melanie P. Smith

Title:   Dusk
Series:  Warrior Series #1
Author:  Melanie P. Smith
Published:  July 24/14
Length:  359pgs
Format:  ecopy
Genre:  paranormal romance
Shelf:  review
Rating: ★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

DUSK is the story of Alex Deveraux. It begins with Alex rushing home to say goodbye to her dying father. Her mother died of a heart attack the previous year, at least that’s what Alex believes. She’s been depressed and living in Italy, trying to cope with her loss. Alex returns to New York to discover her world is not what it once seemed.

Shortly after the death of her father, Alex’s brother introduces her to a world their parents kept hidden for twenty eight years. A world in turmoil. She soon discovers that her mother was the Fae Queen and upon her death, Alex inherited the throne. Her absence has made her people vulnerable and divided. Vulnerable because the assassination of her mother has broken a long standing treaty with the local vampires and divided because the people have been left without a leader during this time of war. To make matters worse, the vampire king just happens to be Alex’s half brother. As the oldest child, he believes he should inherit the Fae kingdom, not Alex. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to claim his kingdom and destroy his sister.

Amid her struggle to embrace the unbelievable, Alex must accept her role as leader of an entire people. As she attempts to understand this new world, she soon discovers she has special gifts. Alex immediately realizes she must develop and hone these powers if she’s going to protect her people from extinction. If that wasn't enough Alex is falling for a man that seems to despise her. Well actually, Dimitri is a warrior who is over 400 years old. The warriors are a group of protectors developed by the Fae to guard against vampire attacks. She doesn't understand Dimitri’s instant disdain any more than she can deny her growing desire for this sexy, powerful man.

My Review:

This novel is emotionally engaging and imaginatively exciting. Smith had me in tears by the end of the first chapter. The plot is well thought out and engaging. I love Smith’s writing style. It’s simultaneously in-depth & inviting, exciting & low key. However, I should mention that this novel could use a bit more editing. There were more than a few typos and wrong words used, but nothing major that would have detracted too much from the story.

Smith did a fantastic job of character development. I felt like I really got to know both of the main characters. Their personalities were so strong and true that you couldn’t help but like them. They were also both genuinely good people. I really enjoy how the main characters try to compromise, even if it takes a while to get there. I also appreciated how well we get to know the supporting cast. This gave the story a feel of completeness.

This novel had a solid 4+ star plot & characters, but the need for another round of editing brought it down a star for me. I enjoyed exploring this world immensely. This is definitely a series that I could easily get into. I can’t wait to see what happens with the other warriors.


No comments:

Post a Comment