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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Two stars only because I’ve kept this book as a palate cleanser for almost 20 years for when I’ve been reading things that are too heavy or emotional. The writing continues to not age very well but is forgivable in my eyes as it was written by a 14 yr old.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As a pre-teen and teenager, I absolutely adored The Den of Shadows series. The fact that the author was a teenager herself when writing and publishing these books (living my dream at the time) made these books even more near and dear to my heart as a kid.
This is my first reread as an adult. And while ‘In The Forests of The Night’ was never one of my favorites, rereading this was still wonderfully nostalgic
But oof! You can absolutely tell that this book was written by a teenager early on in her writing journey. There are more than a few basic writing and editing issues throughout the book. And certainly a few cringy problematic elements. But the structure of the story itself and the characterization of the characters are incredibly messy. The plot is there but difficult to pin down and the main character is inconsistently written. Her goals, motivations, beliefs, and emotions are all over the place and shift rapidly without much sense or reason.
The soul of the story is there. I think the author could honestly have an amazing novella here if she were to go back, now as an adult, and revise/rewrite/edit this story and make it more cohesive and solidified.
Not an amazing novella. But I still enjoyed this reread all the same.
This is my first reread as an adult. And while ‘In The Forests of The Night’ was never one of my favorites, rereading this was still wonderfully nostalgic
But oof! You can absolutely tell that this book was written by a teenager early on in her writing journey. There are more than a few basic writing and editing issues throughout the book. And certainly a few cringy problematic elements. But the structure of the story itself and the characterization of the characters are incredibly messy. The plot is there but difficult to pin down and the main character is inconsistently written. Her goals, motivations, beliefs, and emotions are all over the place and shift rapidly without much sense or reason.
The soul of the story is there. I think the author could honestly have an amazing novella here if she were to go back, now as an adult, and revise/rewrite/edit this story and make it more cohesive and solidified.
Not an amazing novella. But I still enjoyed this reread all the same.
The story is about Risika a three hundred year old vampire who doesn’t get attached to humans who lives in Concord, Massachusetts. Before she was turned her name was Rachel, she lived with her family and she was happy she loved her family. Her twin brother had his own struggles issues with controlling his abilities with fire as well as the voices. When Rachel encounters her brother one night in the dark her life changes forever when she meets Aubrey and Ather.
Ather transforms Rachel into a vampire forcing her to feed to live even giving her the name of Risika. While Risika isn’t thrilled with her life it’s Aubrey who still haunts her because he’s the one who killed her brother, he’s the one she fears. She has made a life for herself living among the human feeding in New York but one night she crosses the line into Aubrey’s territory. Changing her life as she begins to taunt Aubrey read for the fight that has been brewing for years. Is she stronger than Aubrey?
Risika isn’t your typical vampire after losing her humanity and brother she has shielded away loving anyone but she does find love from a tiger in the zoo. Vampires in the book aren’t the typical kind she doesn’t mind the sun but the high point of the day hurts her eyes. She doesn’t hate garlic but she has such a strong sense of smell she doesn’t like it. Silver and religion don't bother her; she can transform into a hawk and transport herself with the thought.
One of my friends suggested this book to me, and being a paranormal addict I was curious to check out one of her favorite series. The author has taken the vampire concept and added her own unique spin creating a whole new breed of vampires. I was captivated by Risika’s story right from the start it’s interesting and I enjoyed the book. The book is a fast read from start to finish I didn’t put it down, I finished it last night before heading to bed in just a few short hours. I think the author did a fantastic job creating a story that teens as well as adults will enjoy. I’m curious to check out the rest of the series as well as her other books.
Ather transforms Rachel into a vampire forcing her to feed to live even giving her the name of Risika. While Risika isn’t thrilled with her life it’s Aubrey who still haunts her because he’s the one who killed her brother, he’s the one she fears. She has made a life for herself living among the human feeding in New York but one night she crosses the line into Aubrey’s territory. Changing her life as she begins to taunt Aubrey read for the fight that has been brewing for years. Is she stronger than Aubrey?
Risika isn’t your typical vampire after losing her humanity and brother she has shielded away loving anyone but she does find love from a tiger in the zoo. Vampires in the book aren’t the typical kind she doesn’t mind the sun but the high point of the day hurts her eyes. She doesn’t hate garlic but she has such a strong sense of smell she doesn’t like it. Silver and religion don't bother her; she can transform into a hawk and transport herself with the thought.
One of my friends suggested this book to me, and being a paranormal addict I was curious to check out one of her favorite series. The author has taken the vampire concept and added her own unique spin creating a whole new breed of vampires. I was captivated by Risika’s story right from the start it’s interesting and I enjoyed the book. The book is a fast read from start to finish I didn’t put it down, I finished it last night before heading to bed in just a few short hours. I think the author did a fantastic job creating a story that teens as well as adults will enjoy. I’m curious to check out the rest of the series as well as her other books.
Very good fantasy starring a 300 year old vampire seeking revenge. 13 year old author.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse
This was a reread. I have read this book many times. I first read it in grade school and I loved it. While it wasn't quite as good as I remembered, it was still a great, fast read. Risika is probably one of my all-time-favorite vampire characters.
Back in the day (est. 2000) this was the first book of the vampire genre that I read. Ever so often I return to re-read it and live in the world of the protagonist once again. It's still a favorite and something different from the usual undead storyline.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You can tell it was written by a young girl but it's good enough that I want to see where she takes the story. I have read more recent books of hers and she does mature with her writing. So give this series a chance!