Book Review – Taken By Midnight by Lara Adrian

Taken by Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel
Yup! I still love this series, and this book was great and exciting from the start. While the series is not my absolute favorite, I can certainly say that the books of “The Midnight Breed” series always capture my attention, I can barely put them down, and the series continues to get better as the story progresses. These “half-vampire” warriors are so easy to crush on. Their camaraderie feels almost as “real” as that of the Brothers in the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Now, I can only say almost, because, in my opinion, nobody can touch the Black Dagger Brotherhood, in terms of intensity. The intricate, yet very private details into their lives that J.R. Ward reveals, seduces us. It feels like we know them. Like we’re a part of them. Or they’re a part of us.  But I digress. This is not a J.R. Ward review, but one of an awesome Lara Adrian book that I can’t wait to gush about. But…you know…what I was trying to say was, while you await the next BDB book, if you haven’t tried this series yet, it will hold you over nicely 😉

So in the last book, Jenna (Alex’s human best friend), was left in a very confusing way. Alone, and contemplating suicide, someone (something) enters her house. The Ancient Breed creature that the Order was hunting, escaped and chose her home to hide in and “feeds” on Jenna. Intrigued by her intense despair (from the recent loss of her husband and child), and her despondency to him and his potential to kill her, he attempts to communicate with her. After a few futile attempts he ultimately giving her a choice of life or death.

The decision is yours, human. Tell me what it will be: life, or death?

She turned her head away and closed her eyes, refusing to look at the creature. Refusing to be a part of the private unspoken game he seemed to be playing with her. A predator toying with his prey, watching it squirm while he decided to spare it or not.

How it shall end depends on you. You will decide.

“Go to hell,” she slurred, her voice thick and rusty.

Iron-strong fingers clamped onto her chin and wrenched her around to face him once more. The creature cocked his head, those catlike amber eyes emotionless as he drew in a rasping breath, then spoke through his bloodstained lips and fangs.

“Choose the course. There isn’t much time now.”

And when she finally chooses life, he leaves her with something that would change her forever.

In this book, the warriors of the Order (and Alex- the heroine from the previous book) rescue a catatonic Jenna, and bring her back to the Order’s Compound in Boston. Intending to study her, and the effects of what the original Breed creature did to her, they discover an implant in her spine that is weaving it’s way into her nervous system. Brock, a member in the Order stands by Jenna day and night and comforts her.

Like all of the Breed, Brock was gifted with an ability unique to himself. His talent for absorbing human pain and suffering had helped keep Jenna comfortable since her ordeal in Alaska, but his skills were just a Band-Aid at best.

Since he has an ability to ease pain and calm a patient, his original intent is to help her ease out of her “trance”, but secretly, he is drawn to her.

… an unbidden heat went through him like a flaming arrow.

Desire was bad enough, but it was the odd sense of protectiveness serving as a chaser that really threw him off kilter. That feeling had begun in Alaska, when he and the other warriors first found her. It hadn’t faded in the days she’d been at the compound. If anything, the feeling had only gotten stronger…

When Jenna finally awakens, she is livid.  Feeling like she has lost complete control of her life, she is also now being forced to live amongst these warrior vampires.

Gideon cleared his throat, breaking the silence as he glanced away from the infirmary door’s small window. “That went well. Considering.”

Brock grunted. “Considering she just came out of a five-day Rip van Winkle to learn that her brother is dead, she’s been leeched by the grandaddy of all bloodsuckers, brought here against her will – and oh, by the way, we’ve found something embedded in your spinal cord that probably didn’t originate on this planet, so congratulations, on top of all that, there’s a good chance you’re part Borg now.” He exhaled a dry curse. “Jesus this is messed up.”

The Order will not release her back into human society until they figure out what the Creature has done to her. And boy has it done a number on her…

“How do you feel?”

She frowned back at him. “Like a bus ran me over. A bus that apparently dragged me from Alaska all the way to Boston.”

“It was the only way,” Lucan interjected, command palpable in his level, ask-no-permission tone. He was the leader here, no question about that. “You hold too much information, and you needed specialized care and observation.”

She didn’t like the sound of that at all. “What I need is to be back home. Whatever that monster did to me, I survived it. I won’t be needing any kind of care or observation because I’m fine.”

“No,” Lucan countered grimly. “You are not fine. far from it, in fact.”

So this is where I’m stopping. You’ll get a nice play by play of Jenna’s “evolution”, a continuation of the main villain’s plot, and of course an enthralling love story that will sweep you off your feet (but at some point, it’ll make you go… ruh roh…).

I mean, ya gotta have a ruh roh for it to be good, right?  😉

 4 stars!

So click here and tell me…did you read it? Who’s story are you looking foward to? I’m excited for “Harvard’s” story. His arrogance is kinda hot, and you know…considering the whole “Elise” fiasco, I can’t wait to see who gets him. 

Check out the entire series reading order here ——> Lara Adrian – The Midnight Breed Series reading order