Review: A Touch of Crimson

Reviewed by Jen
 

I've read mixed reviews on this book, so I was a little hesitant to give it a try, but I am glad I did.  The more I read of this story, the more I enjoyed it.

Adrian is the leader of the angelic soldiers who oversee the vampires on earth.  These vampires were once angels themselves, but they broke the rules that prevented them from mating with mortals. Adrian and his fellow Seraphim were dispatched to punish them... divest them of their wings... the very act, turning them into vamps.

Long ago, Adrian fell in love with Shadoe, daughter to the ruler of the vampires.  But she was partly mortal and when she was nearly killed, her father tried turning her into one of his kind.  Adrian killed her before she could turn, trying to save her from turning into a monster.  As a result, her soul was reborn into another mortal and has continued to do so over and over through the centuries.

Lindsay is Shadoe's newest incarnation.  She has no history of her past lives, but when she runs into Adrian in an airport, she is drawn to him in a way she can't ignore.  He recognizes her for who she is and is thrilled with the opportunity to win her love all over again.  He is shocked when he learns that she has special abilities... ones that allow her to sense inhumanity and amazing physical skills to help her fight. This is important, since she has been killing vamps and demons for years... and hunting the vampires who killed her mother.

The story was ok at the beginning. It took me a while to warm up to it as we set everything up, but it picked up speed along the way. The sexual tension was really good and I loved it when Adrian talked dirty.  The heat between these two was off the charts and their previous connection helped me deal with the fast feelings.  There are some interesting supporting characters, like Elijah, who is fantastic.  And I really was impressed to see many shades of gray between the good guys and the bad guys.  The further I got into the story, the less clear it was who held the high ground, giving the book an added layer of complexity. And there were some poignant moments of longing and loss for many of our characters as well.

I did have some issues.  Like why didn't Adrian fall when he started sleeping with Shadoe? This is a big one.  Maybe it's because she is not 100% human, but that is quite a loophole and it's a significant question that is never answered.   I also struggle with why Adrian fell in love with Shadoe to begin with. She certainly seems like no prize.  And the ending seemed kind of easy after what seemed like insurmountable odds.

However, the groundwork is all in place for the story to continue.  In fact, there are many threads left open, practically begging me to pick up the next story.  Who was pulling the strings in the angel/ vampire war? What will happen with the Lycans? Who is the traitor among the Seraphim?   Why was Lindsay's mother killed and by whom?  Will Elijah be as hot in the sack as I think he will?

I can't wait to find out.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Touch of Crimson

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 4, 2011

Publisher: Signet