Note: If you haven’t read Infinite Days, there are spoilers. It’s relatively spoiler-free for Stolen Nights though.
I’ve been on a vampire kick lately, and Rebecca Maizel’s Vampire Queen Series has spurred it on. Stolen Nights is the second book in the series, a sequel to Infinite Days. I was very intrigued by the premise of the Vampire Queen novels, a 500 year old vampire becoming and living as a human. I had yet to read a story with a character like that. How does one reconcile a long, bloody and evil past once living and receiving his or her humanity again? I was curious to see how Lenah would deal with this and evolve. Infinite Days was more focused on the mechanics of being a human, but Stolen Nights finally tries to answer my question, making it a much more fascinating story than the previous book.
In Stolen Nights, readers are reunited with vampire-turned-human (x2), Lenah Beaudonte, who is still alive after sacrificing herself to turn the vampire Vicken into a human. Lenah is surprised to have survived the ritual, and she becomes even more surprised when she learns that Rhode, the love of her life, isn’t dead after all. In fact, Rhode is now human. However, as fate would have it, the Aeris, the powerful four elements, declare that Lenah only has two choices. She can either stay human in this modern world, but she cannot commit to a loving relationship to Rhode. Or she can go back to when she was human, before she turned, and live her life how it was supposed to be, meaning that she would’ve never met Rhode. Lenah makes her decision and in turn must finally deal with the consequences of that decision and the centuries of violence and tyranny she caused as an immortal being.
There’s something more arresting and pressing about the next installment in Lenah’s story. As mentioned, Lenah is dealing with her past, and just like the first book, it’s aided with snippets and scenes from her days as a vampire. It’s also more violent and unpredictable. The violence, while not exactly graphic, still had some shock factor. There are twists and turns, most of them surprising, especially one toward the end. But at the root of all the mystery and suspense is a love story. Rhode and Lenah are the definition of soul mates. I loved how the author was able to wrap up this story in the notion that love is the most powerful magic.
The ending was so unexpected in how sweeping and seemingly final it felt. With its epilogue, it sets up a story that sounds so impossible and interesting that I can’t wait to see where the author takes Lenah next. With thoughtful notions, intriguing mystery and compelling characters, Stolen Nights makes the Vampire Queen Series a must-read.
Rating: 9/10 ★★★★★★★★★
Stolen Nights will be available wherever books are sold on Tuesday, January 29th. Support The Young Folks and purchase the book at our TYF Store, powered by Amazon.
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Book Info:
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (January 29, 2013)
- Length: 320 pages (Paperback)
- Series: Book 2 of Vampire Queen series
- Source: Paperback (Provided to me by the publisher)
- Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Mystery, Vampires
- Completed: January 2013
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