Review: Dayhunter

Reviewed by Jen
 

If you sit down with the first two books in the Dark Days series, they read just like one long story. Dayhunter picks up just moments after where Nightwalker left off. This book is not a standalone. Each installment of the series (including those that follow this one) is just a piece in a larger story. Personally, I love serialized books, but it can be frustrating to wait between each installment. Fortunately in this case, you can sit down with a stack of these and read them from beginning to end, if you're so inclined.

Mira is a vampire, who is now working with vampire hunter Danaus to stop a race of fae, called the naturi, from destroying humanity and nightwalkers alike. Not that Danaus is all that interested in protecting vamps, but he does realize that he needs their help to deal with the naturi threat. At the end of the last book, we learned that Mira is really a weapon, whose fire-starting abilities can be manipulated by her old mentor Jabari --and now Danaus. (The whys are complicated, but let's accept it and move on.) She hates the idea of being at anyone's mercy, but she really has no choice in the matter.

The story follows her journey with Danaus across different parts of Europe and the Mediterrean as they try to figure out how to stop the threat. Things get more complicated as they realize that members of the vampire coven are in league with some of the naturi. It's not clear where anyone's loyalties lie. And more and more, it seems like the only person Mira can count on is Danaus. That makes it so much worse, every time we are reminded that the two are really enemies. It's clear they feel something for each other, but only when Danaus can make himself forget what Mira really is. We're also learning more about what Danaus is and why the ideas of good and evil are so important to him.

Mira is stepping outside of her comfort zone in so many ways. But the most fulfilling way, to me, is seeing her willingness to extend herself to protect others. She brings Tristan and Nico into her fold, building a family that will continue to grow as the series progresses. She is the rock to them that she always thought Jebari was to her. Now she is dealing with his betrayal on top of the staggering responsibilities she has to face.

Mira's character development and her relationships with Danaus and Tristan are (to me) the best parts of the book. This series is not a casual read. Each book intertwines with the next; It's layered and it's complicated. There are a lot of characters and a lot going on. It's all topped off with a healthy dose of violence and a dollop of sex. 4 stars.