Review: Blood Before Sunrise

Reviewed by Jen
 

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy and you have not tried the Shaede Assassin books, you are really missing out.  These books bowl me over with fantastic world building and characters I care deeply about.  This book took me on a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat until the big emotional finish that left me shredded.

The story picks up several months after the events of Shaedes of Gray.  Darian is happy and in love with Tyler.  Together with Raif and Xander's men, they are searching for the Oracle who escaped at the end of the last book.  Things get more complicated once they find her and she reveals that Raif's daughter is alive and she knows where to find her.  Raif can't allow himself to believe it's true but Darian can't ignore the possibility.  So she makes it her mission to find the girl who has been lost for centuries.

At this point, a ton of stuff starts piling up on Darian's plate.  She starts having terrifying dreams and visions filled with cryptic prophesies she can't understand.  The Oracle gets placed in the custody of supernatural law enforcement, forcing Darian to make an unsavory alliance to get access to her again.  Plus, there is something seriously wrong with Ty.  He is flying into jealous rages, losing his self-control. And he says there is a problem with their bond.

It's really all too much for Darian to take on at once. She tries. But her actions merely accentuate her character flaws.  She is impetuous and over confident. She is unable to trust in others, to allow them to help her.  And it's in her inability to reach out and share her burdens that she makes terrible mistakes and some Very Bad Decisions.

I do believe Darian's heart is in the right place, though. So while she frustrates me, I still empathize with her.  I love, love, love Ty, even though he is batshit crazy at times.  I spent the entire book in constant fear that Darian would break her bond with him "for his own good."  --And Raif.  He's such an interesting character and I adore his relationship with Darian. I understand why she feels so loyal him.  Xander, eh, I could take or leave.

Amanda Bonilla opens up her world even more in this story, taking us inside the Fae world, and explaining more about what makes Darian so special.  It's... different.  Unique.  My only beef is one Darian shares toward the end of the book, which is Why the Hell didn't anyone tell her what she was?  If two relevant characters would have just taken a moment to explain things, it would have saved everyone a lot of pain and heartbreak.

Yes. I said heartbreak.  I feel hollow in my chest, dammit.  How am I going to wait until March for this all to be fixed?  (Are you listening Amanda Bonilla? This must be fixed. Or I am breaking up with you.)

Rating: A-

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Blood Before Sunrise

by Amanda Bonilla

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Signet Eclipse