As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Series: The Gardella Vampire Hunters #5
Published by Avid Press
Published on: September 15, 2014
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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"Vampires have met their match with Victoria Gardella,"* but now the huntress faces an even greater evil as London is besieged by malevolent entities no mortal was ever meant to encounter...
Directly descended from the very first vampire hunter in the Gardella family, Victoria knows she must continue the lineage so humanity will have protectors against the undead. While Sebastian Vioget appears to both the perfect warrior and lover to ensure the Gardella Legacy, Victoria cannot forget Max Pesaro--the former slayer still haunted by the vampire queen Lilith's obsession with him.
But it is Lilith's obsession that may save all of humanity. Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to earth. To defeat them, vampires and slayers must fight side by side. But Lilith wants Max in return for her cooperation--a small price for the world, but too high a price for Victoria.
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A lovely ending to a wonderful series? A heartbreaking ending to a favorite series? A wonderfully written ending to a series I couldn’t stop reading? Another 5 stars for this exciting thriller of a read? All true.
A little background for those that do not know about this series. Victoria is a venator, otherwise known as a vampire hunter/killer. What makes this read different from all other vampire slayer reads is first of all, it takes place in Regency era England, and secondly, the world building is so inventive and wonderfully imagined by the author that it leaves other books of this ilk in the dust. And of course there is a third-characters that fairly leap off the page in their realness and complexity.
In addition to Victoria, other characters include Max, Victoria’s venator partner, mentor, and at this point so much more, Sebastian, Victoria’s ex-lover and most of the time friend, also a venator, Wayren, the mentor for all the venators and a mystery figure to all, and of course Victoria’s clueless mother and her two best friends- and partners in all things designed to get Victoria married to a member of the ton. Then there is Lilith, Max obsessed, queen of the vampires, and enemy to Max and to any kind of life Max wants with Victoria. She was pretty perfect throughout this series as a horrendous villain. Of course there have been other villains along the way, but she has been the worse.
I am not going to go into the story more because at this point it should remain somewhat of a mystery until you start the read, but of course you can always read the blurb. Although I don’t think I have read any of the blurbs of these books since the first one, because it’s not necessary when a series is so good that I didn’t care what it says.
It’s hard to say goodbye to characters that one has come to love and admire, and to a story line that was exciting, adventuresome, violent at times, and yes even romantic. This particular installment is still urban fantasy, but in the end there was an off the charts wonderful and sensual romance, making this book not only UF, but paranormal romance as well. By my standards that makes it pretty perfect.
So if you enjoy urban fantasy, and paranormal romance, I would highly recommend you read this series. You won’t regret it for one minute. It’s adult, due to violence and sexual situations-and don’t let the historical part scare you off-it only adds another dimension to this wonderfully written series. I have already bought the short story, Max Stops the Presses, that takes place after this book, and winds up a dangling thread for the reader. The author has also jumped a hundred years into the future and started another series that takes place in this world called, Roaring Midnight, and yes it takes place in the 1920’s. Can’t wait to read that one!
FYI This was originally published in 2009.
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I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
I bought the first book in this series on your recommendation, but it got lost in the chaos of my Kindle library. When I read your review, I was like, “I need to buy the first book and give this series a try,” only to have Amazon tell me that I already owned it. *head desk* Great review!
E.J. Stevens recently posted…Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Dunnsmouth with Daryl Gregory
Amazon is always telling me that too :)I hope you try it and like it as much as I do 🙂 By the way, I am loving Burning Bright right now!
I’m going to start this one next. 🙂
w00t! I’m so glad that you’re enjoying Burning Bright. Happy reading!
E.J. Stevens recently posted…Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Dunnsmouth with Daryl Gregory
I have the first book in this series and I really need to get to it. It sounds like a great series. 🙂
Stormi recently posted…Review of The Yard
It really is great Stormi! Hope you enjoy 🙂
I need to go look but I am pretty sure I read this back in 2009 and loved it too 🙂 She really is a solid storyteller and weaver of the written word!
Felicia The Geeky Blogger recently posted…Task It Tuesday: Write RT Wrap Up Post
She absolutely is, I am glad you loved her as well 🙂
I love that this ended so wonderfully for you because, let’s face it, that seems to seldom happen anymore.
Only five books in the series? Hmm, this might be one of those series I can binge read over the summer!
kindlemom1 recently posted…Review: Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber
I binge read the first two but then I had to stop for others I needed to review, but I kept going back to them-loved them!
Yes, always so hard to let go and say goodbye to characters that you’ve spent so much time reading about
It really is, although I do have a short story still to read.
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Hi Lorna, great review! I am still on book 4, but will read it soon. But I did speak with Colleen recently, and there will be spin off books of other Gardella women through the centuries.
And she based Max and Sebastian on two different aspects of her own husband, and she hopes I will fall for one of them eventually. Whom do you prefer?
Aurian recently posted…Patricia Briggs – Dead Heat
Hi and thank you 🙂 I am so glad you are enjoying them. That’s interesting that she based them from her husband. Hmm makes you think! My favorite has been Max all the way through. Although I really did enjoy Sebastian as a character. Colleen asked me a couple of books back which one was my favorite-no question for me 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Was not a fan of book 1
blodeuedd recently posted…The demon door – Kim Alexander
Yes I remember that. It’s too bad because they got better as you go for sure-although I did love the first book 🙂
Awesome! Looking for a new vampire series to get into. 😀
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[525]: Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
Oh I hope you try it-first one was free last time I looked-hopefully it still is 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Oooh, you KNOW I’m always on the lookout for more awesome UF!
Mary recently posted…Cover Reveal: The Dead To Rights Series by Cheryl Ann Smith (plus, a giveaway!)
I think this was pretty awesome 🙂
Ooo it sounds like that is wrapped up wonderfully and I am glad the heavier romantic elements gave it a good closing.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…The Martian by Andy Weir
Well I do love a good romance and a good UF and if you put them together I am really happy 🙂 Of course it took awhile in this series to get to the romance.
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Oh it’s so great that this book is that good. I liked book 1 but I think I wanted more and even if book 2 is in my wishlist for years I haven’t tried it. I really should go back to them! Great review!
I just fell in love with all the characters and the direction the story went 🙂
Oh gosh, saying goodbye to characters you’ve come to know so well they feel real and solid is such a hard thing
Yes it really is-good thing there are lots of series I still need to finish 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
5 stars for a series ender? That’s telling, Lorna. You’ve had me intrigued since your first review. I can’t remember if i one-clicked the first one or not but I won a gift card at RT so i will use a little of it to get at least the first in the series. I’m so happy the series wrapped up so well For you.
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Reasons You’ll Love Rook & Ronin ~ TGIF! Spotlight & #Giveaway
I just loved the whole thing and by the last book I didn’t want it to end 🙂 I think the first book was free-at least it was 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason