Book Review: Lara Adrian’s Shades of Midnight

As a lover of paranormal romance books, I wanted to post about one of my favorite authors, Lara Adrian.   Her Midnight Breed Series about alien hybrid vampires is both thrilling and suspenseful, to say the least. What I like most like about the vampire warriors - deemed, The Breed - is they are manly, rugged men. Not at all sissy, pretty or elegant, like many vampire male characters, but raw, unadulterated, gorgeous, gloriously depicted men….just the way we like them.

To be honest, when I read the book 1, Kiss of Midnight, I wasn’t necessarily hooked, . But, I read it nonetheless. By book 2, Kiss of Crimson, however, I was hooked and then some. There are a total of seven books to date. And what I like best about Adrian is how she masterfully defined the rules around being a Breed Warrior, and then magically breaks all her own rules with her riveting plots. Sheer genius. I can’t say it enough about the critical need for stellar plotting. As a writer, often, I’ve sat for hours, even days/months contemplating characters, schemes, dialogue and so forth, all in an effort to weave together a successful novel. And Lara Adrian kills it nearly every time.

If you’ve not had a chance to read the series, I have only one suggestion. Run to your nearest book store, library, Barnes&Nobles, Amazon, download it on your Kindle – whatever you got to do and read them all. You’ll get sucked in a matter of days, like I did. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but still they’re brilliant books, for real.

On another note, the real reason for this post it to do a quick review of Book 7, Shades of Midnight.

A continuation of the midnight breed series Shades of Midnight features Kade, one of the breed warriors who is sent on a mission to Alaska, near a place he once called home. While investigating a bludgeoned massacre in a small town, he meets a mysterious breedmate whose captivating presence provokes a desirous, wanton relationship.  As their relationship blossoms, he’s inspired to covet and protect the innocent female and contemplate her as his own.

During his investigation, he uncovers Dragos’s mining fortress and the reason behind the deadly pillaging that occurred in the small Alaskan town. That reason is…the Ancient. He’s hungry, of course, and wreaking havoc in a murderous fashion trying to satiate his blood lust. I loved the way Adrian portrayed the human side of the Ancient in this book. It’s definitely intriguing and makes us fans want more.

Although this book was not my favorite, (my favorite being Kiss of Crimson & Midnight Awakening) it’s still Lara Adrian and the Breed. 

I highly recommend all to read and reflect and repeat as needed.

Mina B.