Blood Rites
by Amity Cross
This may be book 2.5 in this series but believe me when I say that there are no half measures in this book – it is a full on assault to your senses and one that if you are at all unsure of, you should take good heed of the authors warning – this is not a pink a fluffy novel -it punches you square in the face early on and it makes no bones about doing so because this book takes you places that are not pleasant but in this story are vital and it does so with absolute conviction!
This gives us the back story of Vaughan and what makes him tick- what has gone on in his life that has resulted in him being the man he is today – and as we are ready know – that man is difficult to get a handle on.
If ever there was to be a poster boy for split personality – it would be Vaughan. Because as much as he looks the part – successful, well-groomed professional – when the day turns to night – his true self comes into play and he likes the kudos that come with being the bad boy in town – that is until what is needed from him is more than the price he is willing to pay .
This is Vaughan in all his glory – the good and the bad and there is much more of one than the other I can tell you. It is the story of the decisions that he makes and the repercussions that those decisions have for not only him but those around him.
It is the tale of two people caught in a situation that was never going to end the way they wanted it but that were left dealing with the hand they were dealt – and keeping everything crossed that they could make it work – but not everything that we hope and pray for is achievable.
We pay witness to the situation with Lorelei and what those events do to Vaughan – the fact that whatever he may have been before, he is life is much darker than he could have ever envisaged now.
Sykes is a truly reprehensible character one that has no regard for the sanctity of life and one that plays everything and everyone around him like a finely tuned guitar. Vaughan’s dealings with Sykes were always going to be the root of his demise but his internal struggle meant that he was destined to fall much further than I ever thought possible.
There are some truly dark characters and moments in this story but they are necessary as this is not a book that will have you weeping tears of joy, it will leave you aghast at the depravity of some and astonished by the naivety of other.
Like Lorelei, it will be Vaughan that is the recipient of that very last breath, the one you hold right to the end, just before you flick to the last page and murmur WTF!