Ruby Spencer hasn’t slept in nine years.
Which makes her dream-like visitor more peculiar. Liora, an alluring immortal, professes to know the source of Ruby’s unique blood: blood that saved humankind from a bioweapon; blood that enabled her to become the government’s warrior against ZOM-B.
One of Ruby’s blood donors is the King of Darkness. And that’s not the only revelation sending shivers down her spine. With animals dwindling on Earth and his planet, the king—an ancient vampire with unfathomable powers, has set his sights on a new blood source: humans on Earth.
If Ruby is to defeat the most odious force ever encountered, she must embrace her legacy as The Tether and awaken her gifts. But time is running out for humankind and her family.
Survival teeters in the balance.
Assessment:
Plot: Creating many subplots is risky, but here the author manages to pull them together and hold on to the main premise of the story, preparing the eager reader for Book 3 at the end. It seems there is never a dull moment, with plenty of twists and cliffhanging chapters. Even though this was a second novel in the series, most readers will not have an issue picking up the plot.
Prose: At times it seems there too much of a shift in the tone between characters, making those that are human seem sarcastic and less serious about the circumstances and those that are fantastical more in control of the situation through their language. It is hard to tell if this is intentional, but it seems to make light of the current situation.
Originality: Ash has created an unusual world with a blend of characters in different lifeforms. Readers may be surprised to find zombies, humans, vampires, and shapeshifters all living among each other in a world that is recognizable as Earth, as well as an immersive original planet.
Character Development: Characters are courageous here, and readers will root for some while hope others meet their demise. Main and supporting characters are well-developed and even throughout the book. Strong female characters are always a plus in a fantasy novel like this.
Date Submitted: May 14, 2019
