I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Into the Fire
by
Jeaniene Frost
It is part of the , series and is a urban fantasy in Hardcover edition that was published by Avon Publications on February 28, 2017 and has 320 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Halfway to the Grave, First Drop of Crimson, Death's Excellent Vacation, One Foot in the Grave, At Grave's End, Destined for an Early Grave, Unbound, This Side of the Grave, One Grave at a Time, The Bite Before Christmas, Once Burned, Eternal Kiss of Darkness, Twice Tempted, The Beautiful Ashes, Bound by Flames, The Other Half of the Grave, Halfway to the Grave
Fourth and last in the Night Prince series (and thirteenth in the overall Night Huntress Universe) and revolving around Prince Vlad Tepesh and his vampire bride, Leila.
My Take
It’s all about the fear and the love — and how that love can drive your fear. And can Leila ever tell you about how it manifests from that sneaky scene in Las Vegas — majorly tacky, and I think I’d be even more furious than Leila over Vlad’s highhanded tactics — and the climax…hoo-boy… Talk about heated!
Yeah, she’s telling it from first-person protagonist point-of-view, so you’d think you’d feel it, but no. Frost is mostly telling us what’s happening. Well, not that I actually want to feel as though I’m burning up…! I do wish that Ian’s manipulating had been more drawn out, more obvious, for the tension it would have created, but oh well.
I know that Vlad is a domineering chap, forceful, and quite willing to take someone down, but he felt too out-of-control in this. I suppose Frost intended for us to see this as his fear for Leila, but it felt more as if Frost had been in a hurry to finish this up. More evidence pops up in the lack of concern for names for that fancy “hotel” or the last bar or even Ian’s last name… Nor was Frost too concerned about background on any number of characters. I’m glad I’ve been tracking the characters for past stories, so I’d be able to reference that anyway. Probably wants to get on to that new series.
“Luckily”, getting rid of the connecting spell requires a lot of minor conflicts that open up so many possibilities for Frost’s next spin-off, Night Rebel, with Ian and Veritas. Odd, but I didn’t get a sense of Veritas being a recurring character for Night Rebel, although I do have that impression about Ashael and Dagon…eeek… It should be quite the humorous series.
Ian is taunting, secretive, and seems to have screwed over anyone with whom he’s been in contact. He’s also a lot of fun, lol. I think it was that first moment Vlad and Leila met him at the front door of his manor *more laughter*
Frost was too eager to set us up for her next series and did not make that encounter between Ian and Dagon realistic. No, I take that back. The exchange was realistic, but the scenario Frost used to set the encounter up was not. It was too quick.
There was a lot of action and a lot of trauma in what was actually quite the mid-level story. Characters “tidied” up or set up for future stories. I’m glad this series is over with, as I’ve not been impressed.
The Story
The spell connecting Leila and Mircea has backfired on Mircea, for his enemies have kidnapped him and are using that connection to torture both of them.
It’s become imperative that the connection is destroyed, lest Leila die.
The Characters
Leila Dalton Tepesh is Vlad’s wife (Bound by Flames, 3) who has psychometric abilities which makes her the best lie detector on the planet. Gretchen is Leila’s jealous sister. The retired Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Dalton is their angry father. Aunt Brenda and Leila’s mother had spent their childhood on the North Carolina Cherokee Indian lands. Marty is a father figure for Leila, a dwarf vampire, and her best friend with whom she’d done a circus act.
Vlad Tepesh is Dracula, a pyrokinetic vampire, who had been born in the 1400s; he’s madly in love with Leila and is as cruel as he needs to be. Radu is his brother and Mircea’s father. Samir is the captain of his guard. Maximus had been a friend before he betrayed Vlad. Henri works with Isa in the kitchens at Vlad’s castle in Romania.
The manipulative, conniving Ian has a manor in Cheshire, England.
Mencheres (Menkaure is his birth name) is Vlad’s honorary sire with a deep knowledge of magic and his own power of telekinesis. Kira is his wife (Eternal Kiss of Darkness, 2). Bones (in the Night Huntress) is Mencheres’ co-ruler. Patra had been Mencheres’ wife.
The Eastern Band of Cherokees, North Carolina
Leotie Shayne has been a vampire for centuries and a true-blood Ani-kutani. Lisa is a teenager staying with Leotie. The Ani-kutani were Cherokee priests with great powers who became corrupt.
Ashael and Dagon are demons.
Mircea is Vlad’s unhappy nephew/stepson and a necromancer who is cruel for the fun of it. Branson is in league with him. Ilona had been Mircea’s cheating mother. Mihaly Szilagyi, Mercia’s sire, had been Vlad’s bitter enemy for centuries. Until Bound by Flames, 3.
The Acolytes of Imhotep are…
…a cult once based on the teachings of Imhotep, an Egyptian vampire who taught Mencheres. He believed in using magic for knowledge, healing, and protecting his country. Neryre knew Mencheres back in the day.
The Law Guardians are…
…the ruling body for the vampires which has outlawed the use of magic. Veritas is a Law Guardian with some mad skills and secrets.
Selenites is a members-only bar for the magically inclined elite. Elena is its sorceress owner. Klaus is her lover. Blackstone is an earth mage with a major grudge against Ian. Marie Laveau, a.k.a., Majestic, is voodoo queen of the ghouls (Bound by Flames, 3).
Demons invented magic. Legacy magic is passed from one relative to another and changes according to the needs of the person who is receiving it.
The Cover and Title
The cover is dark with a bare-chested…woohoo…Vlad in black pants, poised to attack, vibrant red flames flaring and purple-gray smoke twining in the background of purple-black arches. The author’s name is below center with the title below that with both in white. A reddish pink colors the info blurb and series information nestled between the two.
The title is all about Frankie heading Into the Fire to rescue Vlad.
