I received this book for free from the blog tour host in exchange for an honest review.
Birthright by Willow Cross
Released: March 2nd, 2011
Series: The Dark Gifts Series [Book One]
Format: eBook
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 226
Source: Blog Tour
Buy it: The Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
For one-thousand years, Druid prophecies foretold of a young witch destined to alter the fate of both human and immortal alike. This witch-turned-vampire would be capable of harnessing the supernatural abilities of both and, in a bloody rise to power, would rule with unwavering control.
Unwillingly thrust into a world she never dreamed existed, Liz Markum is catapulted into an ancient war between rival vampire factions. She must choose between those she loves and the ever-present darkness attempting to devour her very soul.
Only one question remains: Will Liz claim her birthright or surrender to the dark gift?
One choice.
One chance.
Two destinies.
The Short
Birthright was a fresh take on vampires. We get a deeper understanding of a much larger world which involves magic and darker forces. The unique aspects and great cast of characters makes this story really stand out and kept me interested.
The Long
In this story, we are given a larger platform to explore in the world of vampires. You don't follow just a single vampire or a small clan, rather you are plunged into the core of the vampire rulers which has enabled a more detailed understanding on how vampires interact with one another as well as other beings.
Liz was a strong and brave character and I really liked her as a main character. She has been put into a very confronting and challenging position and the way she handles it is very respectable. When it came to her love interest, I felt that it lacked a little. I am grateful that it did not overrun the entire story, but as a sub-plot I feel like it could have been a little more fleshed out. By this I mean that I didn't see enough of the romance. Over time we are told that things are getting more serious and their feelings are growing stronger, but I did not get to see it. This is probably why I also wanted to see more of the love interest.
It was really interesting to discover who the antagonists were and their motives. The story kept getting more twisted and complex as you go, which makes me very curious about the other instalments in this series. I will definitely be getting my hands on the sequel!
The Good
Vampires, magic, interesting world, bad-heroine
The Bad
Not enough of the sexy hunk, lack of evidence of romantic development
About the Author
Willow Cross resides in Arkansas with her husband, two children still young enough to live at home, an enormous cat named Bitsy, and a neurotic dog named Tank. Her home has been known to host the occasional ghost and several of her friends profess to be witches. Although she dearly loves Vampires and Werewolves, they are never invited for dinner.Website
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