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Wings in the Night #15
Twilight Fulfilled
"The First Immortal Walks Again Utanapishtim has paid dearly for creating the vampire race imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants...and the vampire Armageddon begins. Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but loyal to the bloodline, is called into action. Her to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race. Soon locked in an unwinnable battle, the two warriors discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they ve ever known and seems fated to end in death and heartbreak.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
44 people are currently reading
945 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Shayne
257 books2,572 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 11, 2016
La Ultima Profecia es el libro numero 18 de la saga Wings In The Night creada por la autora Maggie Shayne y narra la historia de Brigid y Utanapishtim ( el primer humano convertido en vampiro ).
Este libro fue una verdadera sorpresa, hace unos dias cuando comence a leer el libro anterior a este estaba un poco desilucionada con la serie, no solo porque Bloodline fue una gran decepcion sino tambien porque hacia tanto tiempo que tenia aparcadas estas lecturas que me daba un poco de pereza volver a meterme en el mundo de estos vampiros, no porque fuera una mala serie, todo lo contrario sino porque se me hacia un poco cuesta arriba volver a recordar todas las historias de los protagonistas anteriores, pero luego no fue para nada el caso, estos dos ultimos libros se pueden leer como independientes, no hace falta leer toda la serie, aunque yo la recomiendo muchisimoo.
La lectura se me paso volando, a penas en dos tardes me la devore. Es ligera, entretenida y con mucha accion, quizas el unico pero que le pondria es que la relacion entre los protagonistas me supo a poco.
Espero que este no sea el ultimo libro de la saga, yo quiero mas historias de estos vampiros.
4 Estrellas!!
July 14, 2016
The story is pretty much okay, the threat of the vampires v.s. humans all-out war is real and well described enough. However, I just don't have too much patience for it so I skimmed through most of the later part of the story.
April 27, 2020
Una pequeña decepción. No es la primera vez que leo a esta autora, pero si la primera que me deja un tanto sin saber que decir, ni que contar.
Esta autora me gustaba y de hecho sigo con cara de poker, desconozco si es porque hace mucho que no leía nada de ella o porque este libro es como si estuviese leyendo una versión adulta de otros "best sellers juveniles".
Esta autora me gustaba y de hecho sigo con cara de poker, desconozco si es porque hace mucho que no leía nada de ella o porque este libro es como si estuviese leyendo una versión adulta de otros "best sellers juveniles".
October 23, 2011
Twilight Fulfilled is the 18th instalment of Maggie Shayne’s hit series. This book focuses on Brigit Poe – vampire half-blood. Brigit and her twin brother James are the only two of their kind, and neither aren’t without their…charms. James is the ‘good twin’ who has the power to heal. Brigit is the ‘bad twin’ and has the power to destroy. To shoot death lasers out of her eyes, to be exact.
When the first immortal, Utana, was resurrected, he believes he must destroy his race of vampires to earn favour with the gods. Only Brigit can stop him before the eliminates her entire family.
When Utana and Brigit meet, sparks literally fly. Plus a few cars, trees, general debris. But more than that the spark of passion ignites between them. Utana is sworn to destroy Brigit and her kin, Brigit sworn to protect her own.
Twilight Fulfilled was a pleasurable read, an original story with charming characters. I enjoyed watching the development of Utana and Brigit’s romance and as they struggled to come to terms with what it meant for both of them.
Any fans of Maggie Shayne will devour this book whole.
When the first immortal, Utana, was resurrected, he believes he must destroy his race of vampires to earn favour with the gods. Only Brigit can stop him before the eliminates her entire family.
When Utana and Brigit meet, sparks literally fly. Plus a few cars, trees, general debris. But more than that the spark of passion ignites between them. Utana is sworn to destroy Brigit and her kin, Brigit sworn to protect her own.
Twilight Fulfilled was a pleasurable read, an original story with charming characters. I enjoyed watching the development of Utana and Brigit’s romance and as they struggled to come to terms with what it meant for both of them.
Any fans of Maggie Shayne will devour this book whole.
September 18, 2011
TLDR recap:
Utana, father of the vampire race, and an immortal who has been trapped inside the ashes of his body for thousands of years, is on a crusade to purge his sin against the gods by obliterating the origination of that sin... his vampire children, all of them. Brigit Poe, one of the prophecied Twins, the "evil" twin who has been trained to fight and kill with her laser-eyebeams-o-death, has been given a terrible task: kill Utana before he kills all of them. This second offering in the Children of Twilight series by Maggie Shayne starts off slow, but really takes off about halfway through, before barrelling non-stop toward a heart-breaking, explosive conclusion. A GraveTells recommended read!
Title: Twilight Fulfilled
Series: Children of Twilight - book #2 / Wings In the Night - book #18
Author: Maggie Shayne
Prominent Characters: Brigit & Utana
Recommended reader age: 16+
Sexual content level: light-to-moderate
Thoughts:
Brigit is modern, spunky, irreverent, tender, and intelligent, and she doesn't need a man to save her... usually. Utana is old-fashioned (duh, thousands of years old!), has been a king, a priest, and (considered to some) a god, can shoot crazy lasers of destruction from his own eyes, and is working some major mojo in that big sculpted (and apparently revivable) body of his. Needless to say, he doesn't think he needs a woman to save him either, but he hasn't met Brigit yet. Over the last few years, Harlequin has really been busting out of its staid, rusty old ravishing-innocents-and-bodice-rippers stereotype, and Twilight Fulfilled is an engaging contemporary, hip paranormal romance in a much beloved series.
This story is told in third-person, but the characterization of the voices is so well done, it reads like first-person. It starts off as a composite cast story, with several storylines weaving in and out; that's probably what made the first half of the book feel slow for me, and the main reason for the 4.0 rating (would have otherwise been higher). We should take into account that I read Twilight Fulfilled without first reading Twilight Prophecy (the first book in the Children of Twilight series) or any of the numerous Wings in the Night books, so my observations are from the point of a true newbie to this universe. That will be helpful for readers who, like me, are starting fresh with this one, and probably annoying to readers who are long-time fans of Maggie Shayne's vampires. Something else that was both a positive and a negative for me was Utana's obvious initial trouble with the English language. His stumbling pronunciations and word misuse made for a few fun comedic moments (which, IMO, could have been played on a little more heavily), but also made it difficult for me to identify with him as a character. Ms. Shayne does a great job, though, of progressing his language skills at a believable pace; he may be highly intelligent, but he's no virtuoso and I like that - it makes him more real and he needs it. I mean, seriously, this dude is the original Noah, the father of the vampire race, an ancient Sumerian king and priest, and can wipe out entire blocks with his mega Cyclops gaze... he definitely isn't your average easily-relatable hero-next-door type!
Something else that was very notable, and may actually be a detriment for Ms. Shayne's more devout monotheistic fans, was the emotional and psychological debates (rather obviously) hidden within the dialogue and characters' thoughts. I don't know whether the views expressed in this story are Ms. Shayne's or simply what came to her with the characters, but she certainly does a convincing job of debating against the one-all-powerful-deity-who-oversees-everything-and-demands-war-and-carnage philosophy. In case that last bit has anyone feeling a bit put-off, the message doesn't come off as atheist, but rather only that men shouldn't presume to know the minds of their gods or to speak for them in text (and rely on those written words), and should independently make decisions without shackling themselves to unfounded restrictions and expectations.
Another interesting psychological observation, that I haven't seen in a PNR book to date, is that perhaps the old standby behead-em-burn-em-scatter-the-ashes method of executing a vampire might be killing these creatures, good and evil, in body only. If a vampire is truly immortal, then you cannot kill him, right? So what happens to the spirit when the body is destroyed? Wouldn't it go mad after thousands of years of sensory deprivation? Do they never get to "pass on" to whatever life is next? Interesting indeed! Sorta makes me view vampire hunters in a whole new, less than flattering, light.
On other characters, J.W. is really memorable and likeable, and this isn't even his story! Twilight Prophecy is definitely going on my 2011 Reading List!
Memorable quotes:
No one ever said love was easy...
Protection-proschmection, go for the throat!
Justification for war?
On how Utana became immortal...
If you like Twilight Fulfilled and the rest of the Children of Twilight and Wings in the Night series...
If you enjoyed Twilight Fulfilled for its long, family-like history of related vampire novels, you may also like the books in Christine Feehan's The Dark (Carpathian) series (beginning with Dark Prince ). The Dark series has more than twenty consecutive novels published and links most of the characters together with close ties of family and friendship.
If you enjoyed Twilight Fulfilled for its intense climax and spunky heroine/hero chemistry, you may also enjoy the Night Huntress (starting with Halfway to the Grave ) novels by Jeaniene Frost. Ms. Frost's Cat is, like Brigit, a kick-ass vampire-human hybrid with an independent streak and a weakness for a sculpted male chest. And Bones... well, Bones fans would agree that PNR heroes don't get much better than Bones. *grin*
Final thoughts:
Whew, that was a lot of "thoughts", yeah? If I didn't lose you at the religious part (hey, I don't write it, I just review it!) and you've made it this far, I recommend reading this book. Would I read Twilight Prophecy first? Definitely. For starters, you're going to spoil some of the events of the initial Children of Twilight book if you don't read it first. Secondly, there's a lot of groundwork for this story laid down in the first novel, and the explosive ending will probably have a much greater impact if you've followed the story from the start.
Speaking of explosive conclusions, Twilight Fulfilled has one of the most charismatic endings in a book that I've read in a long time. It starts picking up steam about half-way through, and becomes nearly impossible to put down as it progresses. Utana and Brigit may not have known each other long, but you REALLY want things to work out for them! If this series is not already on your reading list, put it up there somewhere near the top - the part you're actually going to read (yeah, you know you're guilty!). If you were already looking forward to this new Maggie Shayne novel and have been a fan of her vampire world since the Wings of the Night series, you will not be disappointed! Twilight Fulfilled is a GraveTells "Recommended!" novel.
Rating: Twilight Fulfilled
4.0 Hearts: Recommended!
Related links:
See the original GraveTells.com review here.
Pre-order Twilight Fulfilled on Amazon (Available on 9/20/2011)
http://www.maggieshayne.com/ (Maggie Shayne's website)
http://www.christinefeehan.com/ (The Dark series website)
http://jeanienefrost.com/ (The Night Huntress series website)
Utana, father of the vampire race, and an immortal who has been trapped inside the ashes of his body for thousands of years, is on a crusade to purge his sin against the gods by obliterating the origination of that sin... his vampire children, all of them. Brigit Poe, one of the prophecied Twins, the "evil" twin who has been trained to fight and kill with her laser-eyebeams-o-death, has been given a terrible task: kill Utana before he kills all of them. This second offering in the Children of Twilight series by Maggie Shayne starts off slow, but really takes off about halfway through, before barrelling non-stop toward a heart-breaking, explosive conclusion. A GraveTells recommended read!
Title: Twilight Fulfilled
Series: Children of Twilight - book #2 / Wings In the Night - book #18
Author: Maggie Shayne
Prominent Characters: Brigit & Utana
Recommended reader age: 16+
Sexual content level: light-to-moderate
Thoughts:
Brigit is modern, spunky, irreverent, tender, and intelligent, and she doesn't need a man to save her... usually. Utana is old-fashioned (duh, thousands of years old!), has been a king, a priest, and (considered to some) a god, can shoot crazy lasers of destruction from his own eyes, and is working some major mojo in that big sculpted (and apparently revivable) body of his. Needless to say, he doesn't think he needs a woman to save him either, but he hasn't met Brigit yet. Over the last few years, Harlequin has really been busting out of its staid, rusty old ravishing-innocents-and-bodice-rippers stereotype, and Twilight Fulfilled is an engaging contemporary, hip paranormal romance in a much beloved series.
This story is told in third-person, but the characterization of the voices is so well done, it reads like first-person. It starts off as a composite cast story, with several storylines weaving in and out; that's probably what made the first half of the book feel slow for me, and the main reason for the 4.0 rating (would have otherwise been higher). We should take into account that I read Twilight Fulfilled without first reading Twilight Prophecy (the first book in the Children of Twilight series) or any of the numerous Wings in the Night books, so my observations are from the point of a true newbie to this universe. That will be helpful for readers who, like me, are starting fresh with this one, and probably annoying to readers who are long-time fans of Maggie Shayne's vampires. Something else that was both a positive and a negative for me was Utana's obvious initial trouble with the English language. His stumbling pronunciations and word misuse made for a few fun comedic moments (which, IMO, could have been played on a little more heavily), but also made it difficult for me to identify with him as a character. Ms. Shayne does a great job, though, of progressing his language skills at a believable pace; he may be highly intelligent, but he's no virtuoso and I like that - it makes him more real and he needs it. I mean, seriously, this dude is the original Noah, the father of the vampire race, an ancient Sumerian king and priest, and can wipe out entire blocks with his mega Cyclops gaze... he definitely isn't your average easily-relatable hero-next-door type!
Something else that was very notable, and may actually be a detriment for Ms. Shayne's more devout monotheistic fans, was the emotional and psychological debates (rather obviously) hidden within the dialogue and characters' thoughts. I don't know whether the views expressed in this story are Ms. Shayne's or simply what came to her with the characters, but she certainly does a convincing job of debating against the one-all-powerful-deity-who-oversees-everything-and-demands-war-and-carnage philosophy. In case that last bit has anyone feeling a bit put-off, the message doesn't come off as atheist, but rather only that men shouldn't presume to know the minds of their gods or to speak for them in text (and rely on those written words), and should independently make decisions without shackling themselves to unfounded restrictions and expectations.
Another interesting psychological observation, that I haven't seen in a PNR book to date, is that perhaps the old standby behead-em-burn-em-scatter-the-ashes method of executing a vampire might be killing these creatures, good and evil, in body only. If a vampire is truly immortal, then you cannot kill him, right? So what happens to the spirit when the body is destroyed? Wouldn't it go mad after thousands of years of sensory deprivation? Do they never get to "pass on" to whatever life is next? Interesting indeed! Sorta makes me view vampire hunters in a whole new, less than flattering, light.
On other characters, J.W. is really memorable and likeable, and this isn't even his story! Twilight Prophecy is definitely going on my 2011 Reading List!
Memorable quotes:
No one ever said love was easy...
She was supposed to kill him, not wound him and then worry about whether he was feeling it.
Protection-proschmection, go for the throat!
"I felt compelled to protect you. And I suppose that's natural too, given that I... took a little sip from your..." She made the mistake of looking at his shoulder and then his neck as she spoke to him. "Your great big, corded, hard, salty neck."
Justification for war?
She wanted to convince this man that religion was not a good enough reason for genocide. Then again, it was one of the main reasons why anyone had ever committed such an atrocity or gone to war in the history of mankind.
On how Utana became immortal...
"Maybe the gods wanted you to start a new race. Or maybe it was something you ate."
If you like Twilight Fulfilled and the rest of the Children of Twilight and Wings in the Night series...
If you enjoyed Twilight Fulfilled for its long, family-like history of related vampire novels, you may also like the books in Christine Feehan's The Dark (Carpathian) series (beginning with Dark Prince ). The Dark series has more than twenty consecutive novels published and links most of the characters together with close ties of family and friendship.
If you enjoyed Twilight Fulfilled for its intense climax and spunky heroine/hero chemistry, you may also enjoy the Night Huntress (starting with Halfway to the Grave ) novels by Jeaniene Frost. Ms. Frost's Cat is, like Brigit, a kick-ass vampire-human hybrid with an independent streak and a weakness for a sculpted male chest. And Bones... well, Bones fans would agree that PNR heroes don't get much better than Bones. *grin*
Final thoughts:
Whew, that was a lot of "thoughts", yeah? If I didn't lose you at the religious part (hey, I don't write it, I just review it!) and you've made it this far, I recommend reading this book. Would I read Twilight Prophecy first? Definitely. For starters, you're going to spoil some of the events of the initial Children of Twilight book if you don't read it first. Secondly, there's a lot of groundwork for this story laid down in the first novel, and the explosive ending will probably have a much greater impact if you've followed the story from the start.
Speaking of explosive conclusions, Twilight Fulfilled has one of the most charismatic endings in a book that I've read in a long time. It starts picking up steam about half-way through, and becomes nearly impossible to put down as it progresses. Utana and Brigit may not have known each other long, but you REALLY want things to work out for them! If this series is not already on your reading list, put it up there somewhere near the top - the part you're actually going to read (yeah, you know you're guilty!). If you were already looking forward to this new Maggie Shayne novel and have been a fan of her vampire world since the Wings of the Night series, you will not be disappointed! Twilight Fulfilled is a GraveTells "Recommended!" novel.
Rating: Twilight Fulfilled
4.0 Hearts: Recommended!
Related links:
See the original GraveTells.com review here.
Pre-order Twilight Fulfilled on Amazon (Available on 9/20/2011)
http://www.maggieshayne.com/ (Maggie Shayne's website)
http://www.christinefeehan.com/ (The Dark series website)
http://jeanienefrost.com/ (The Night Huntress series website)
July 26, 2011
Review At: I Read, I Think, I Share
Review Date: 26 July 2011
Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2011/07/twilight-fulfilled-by-maggie-shayne.html
When I saw this book is available in Net Galley I was so happy and can't help to request it right away. After reading Twilight Prophecy, I was very much looking forward to read the sequel. And this book 2 Twilight Fulfilled, does not disappoint me at all. Instead it is better than the first book.
While the first book was more about James, this book two was on his twin sister, Brigit. James used his healing power to revive Utanapishtim from his ashes. But then the soon after that they realized it's a mistake to revive him. So the vampire race sent Brigit, the destroyer, to destroy Utanapishtim to save the vampire race. But something unexpected happened between them. And things get complicated when US government stepped into the battle and more secrets were being revealed.
I found the story very fascinating. It captivates my interest from beginning till the end. The pace is good. There are quite a number of supporting characters added in the story with clearly defined role and they never over shadow the two main characters. The intense emotion of the characters is well projected too. The plot is good. The twists and turns just made me can't stop turning the pages. I like the ending. I wonder is there any more upcoming books in this series.
I enjoy reading it very much. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher Harlequin via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Review Date: 26 July 2011
Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2011/07/twilight-fulfilled-by-maggie-shayne.html
When I saw this book is available in Net Galley I was so happy and can't help to request it right away. After reading Twilight Prophecy, I was very much looking forward to read the sequel. And this book 2 Twilight Fulfilled, does not disappoint me at all. Instead it is better than the first book.
While the first book was more about James, this book two was on his twin sister, Brigit. James used his healing power to revive Utanapishtim from his ashes. But then the soon after that they realized it's a mistake to revive him. So the vampire race sent Brigit, the destroyer, to destroy Utanapishtim to save the vampire race. But something unexpected happened between them. And things get complicated when US government stepped into the battle and more secrets were being revealed.
I found the story very fascinating. It captivates my interest from beginning till the end. The pace is good. There are quite a number of supporting characters added in the story with clearly defined role and they never over shadow the two main characters. The intense emotion of the characters is well projected too. The plot is good. The twists and turns just made me can't stop turning the pages. I like the ending. I wonder is there any more upcoming books in this series.
I enjoy reading it very much. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher Harlequin via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 18, 2017
Efter att James Poe, som entligt profetian ska rädda vampyrerna, misslyckades, vet alla att det är Brigits tur.
Brigits är James tvillingsyster, och trots att dom är tvillingarna är dom totalt olika.
Hela deras liv har James varit den gode tvillingen, medan Brigit har varit förstöraren. Så när det nu är hon som ska rädda det sista vampyrerna som är kvar blir ingen mera shockad över det hela äb brigid själv.
Brigid förbereder sig nu på att ta upp striden med Utanapishtim.
Men aldrig hade hon förväntat sig känslorna som växte fram i deras första möte.
Och aldrig hade hon trott att när hon äntligen skulle få en chans att bevisa att hon är lika bra som hennes bror att hon skulle avböja den. På grund av känslor. Inte Brigid. Inte Brigid "förstöraren" Poe.
Efter tretton böcker och två år av läsande är det här nu sista boken om Maggie Shaynes vampyrer. Serien har alltid varit bra och alltid kommit med överaskningar, och Mörkrets Sista Strid var en fantastisk bok att avluta "Vingslag i Natten" med.
Brigits är James tvillingsyster, och trots att dom är tvillingarna är dom totalt olika.
Hela deras liv har James varit den gode tvillingen, medan Brigit har varit förstöraren. Så när det nu är hon som ska rädda det sista vampyrerna som är kvar blir ingen mera shockad över det hela äb brigid själv.
Brigid förbereder sig nu på att ta upp striden med Utanapishtim.
Men aldrig hade hon förväntat sig känslorna som växte fram i deras första möte.
Och aldrig hade hon trott att när hon äntligen skulle få en chans att bevisa att hon är lika bra som hennes bror att hon skulle avböja den. På grund av känslor. Inte Brigid. Inte Brigid "förstöraren" Poe.
Efter tretton böcker och två år av läsande är det här nu sista boken om Maggie Shaynes vampyrer. Serien har alltid varit bra och alltid kommit med överaskningar, och Mörkrets Sista Strid var en fantastisk bok att avluta "Vingslag i Natten" med.
July 3, 2017
Book 18 in the Wings in the Night series (the last one)
Wow. Just wow. If the previous book, Twilight Prophecy was epic, than this is a masterpiece. For those of us who have been following this series from the beginning (early 90s) to read the final book in the series is just heart-breaking. Fortunately, what’s not heart-breaking is how wonderful this book is. I have never read anything better by Ms. Shayne. This is truly a marvelous book. The plot, action, characters (new and our old favorites), and the way Ms. Shayne wove the tale- truly magic. I don’t know how many more positive adjectives I can use to describe how much I love this book. Ms. Shayne’s Wings in the Night series is engrossing, and to cumulate everything she has written in these last two books was simply magic. Now if I can just fill the void in my heart that this series has left. I’m sure you’re laughing right now, but I’ve been with this series from the very beginning. Now that it is over I feel like a piece of me is missing. I love all the characters that Ms. Shayne has created. I guess I’ll just have to go back to the beginning and read them over again. :o)
Before I begin my summary I need to add that in previous newsletters by Ms. Shayne she has stated that this is the end (for now) to her vampire series. She is not currently contracted out by the same publisher for any more vampire books. However, she did state that she loves her vampires and will never fully turn her back on them. Now, this leaves the possibility for more in the future (albeit very distant future). But, with how beautiful the last two books were, how can you improve on perfection? I am not holding out hope for more of this series. But, perhaps Ms. Shayne will, in the future, start a new vampire series. This fan will be crossing her fingers…
Detailed Spoiler Summary:
This Brigit Poe’s story, James’ twin, and part-human, part-vampire. Brigit has always been considered the bad or evil twin because of her power. While James welds the power to heal, Brigit welds the power to destroy. And it is because of this power that it’s Brigit’s destiny to destroy Utanapishtim, the first immortal who thus created the first vampire- Damian (aka Gilgamesh). Utana believes he angered the gods by creating vampires in the first place and his only chance for redemption is to kill them all (which we learned in the previous book, so I’ll try not to upchuck all that information). If you need more background information, see my review of the previous book.
We are almost immediately delved into the action in the book as Brigit sets out after Utana first thing. It’s pretty interesting watching them try to fry each other with their eye blasts. However, Utana gets away for a time, as he is convinced by the DPI bad guy to come with him and be on his side since he wants to eradicate vampires as well. Nash Gravenham-Bail (said DPI bad guy) takes Utana to a hidden mansion where he is basically worshiped for the king/priest he used to be and lives the life of luxury. Brigit sneaks in posed as a belly-dancer in order to get close to Utana. However, her plan back-fired as she entrances Utana with her dancing, which doesn’t matter because he recognized who she was from the very beginning. Utana keeps Brigit as a slave of sorts in his room (he stole her powers the same way he took James’). However, how can Brigit even try to kill someone she is falling in love with?
I’m very proud at how far Utanapishtim’s character has grown. I have to admit, I thought he was a donkey’s hind end in the previous book. He is much more than what he seems… much, much more. And much more intelligent than I gave him credit for. Utana also finds that he is falling for Brigit and starts to question what he thought he knew. How can he kill the family of the woman he loves?
Brigit and Utana are separated after they escape the mansion when James comes for Brigit- Utana takes off in her car. Utana goes to the DPI compound in Virginia where the government is gathering all the Chosen. He wants to free the innocent humans. Brigit and James follow him just in time to see him enter the DPI compound with Nash, leaving the impression he was working with them all the time. However, Utana was not working with Nash and thus drugs and tortures Utana. Meanwhile, Brigit is trying to convince her twin and the rest of her family (and past vampires from the series) that Utana is beginning to see the light and he really doesn’t want to kill vampires, his mind has just been warped from living in ashes for 5,000 years. During this time is when Brigit gives James back his power of healing.
The family learns that Brigit is in love with Utana and Rhiannon forces her to choose between him and her family. Brigit goes after Utana. Unfortunately, she gets trapped as well, but she (for a short time) gets free and enlists the help of Roxy (a Chosen who is posing as a nurse at the DPI facility and who we were introduced to in Demon’s Kiss, Lover’s Bite, and Angle’s Pain. Roxy is a good friend of Reaper from Angle’s Pain and the oldest living Chosen. Roxy was trying to help Melinda (a Chosen with strong psychic powers) and her mom Jane. However, when Brigit tries to sneak out of Utana’s prison for the second time she is ambushed and captured by Nash.
Nash has tied up Brigit and the rest of the Chosen (except Roxy, Melinda, and Jane) to the fence surrounding the compound which can be electrified. In order to force Utana to use his power to kill the vampires he has told Utana he will kill Brigit and the Chosen if he doesn’t kill the vampires. Can you feel the climax of the book yet? Through their bond (also because Brigit drank from Utana) she tries to tell him not to do it, she doesn’t care if she dies. Just before Utana can do anything James arrives and Brigit tells him to get Roxy, Melinda, and Jane out of the compound first (which he does successfully). However, Utana cannot bring himself to murder the children which he in essence created. He therefore directs his eye frying powers on the gas line and destroys the entire DPI building including Nash and himself.
The rest of the vampires arrive on the scene and help the Chosen (James eventually got Rhiannon and the rest of the family to come around to Utana). James finds Utana’s remains and brings him home with them while Brigit is basically in an emotional coma. James reminds Brigit of what Utana told her earlier, that she still has her powers, and both James and Brigit’s powers are the same. They can both heal and destroy. So, if it has to be anyone trying to bring Utana back to life it has to be her. Fortunately, it works, so they have their happily ever after! Unfortunately, the vampire race as a whole doesn’t have quite the same HEA. All the vampires are thought destroyed by the US government, so they flee to Transylvania (I mean, who would look for vampires in Transylvania, right?)
It was nice to see or hear of most of Ms. Shayne’s vampires again, Amber-Lily, Edge, Rhiannon, Roland, Eric, Damian, Dante, Donovan, and Dracula, even if Rhiannon was really the only one who said anything important. The only loose end that I wanted resolved is from Embrace the Twilight which is Sarafina and Will Stone’s story- Will is a mortal, and not even one of the Chosen. So, how do they live happily ever after for eternity? That questions still has not been answered.
Wow. Just wow. If the previous book, Twilight Prophecy was epic, than this is a masterpiece. For those of us who have been following this series from the beginning (early 90s) to read the final book in the series is just heart-breaking. Fortunately, what’s not heart-breaking is how wonderful this book is. I have never read anything better by Ms. Shayne. This is truly a marvelous book. The plot, action, characters (new and our old favorites), and the way Ms. Shayne wove the tale- truly magic. I don’t know how many more positive adjectives I can use to describe how much I love this book. Ms. Shayne’s Wings in the Night series is engrossing, and to cumulate everything she has written in these last two books was simply magic. Now if I can just fill the void in my heart that this series has left. I’m sure you’re laughing right now, but I’ve been with this series from the very beginning. Now that it is over I feel like a piece of me is missing. I love all the characters that Ms. Shayne has created. I guess I’ll just have to go back to the beginning and read them over again. :o)
Before I begin my summary I need to add that in previous newsletters by Ms. Shayne she has stated that this is the end (for now) to her vampire series. She is not currently contracted out by the same publisher for any more vampire books. However, she did state that she loves her vampires and will never fully turn her back on them. Now, this leaves the possibility for more in the future (albeit very distant future). But, with how beautiful the last two books were, how can you improve on perfection? I am not holding out hope for more of this series. But, perhaps Ms. Shayne will, in the future, start a new vampire series. This fan will be crossing her fingers…
Detailed Spoiler Summary:
This Brigit Poe’s story, James’ twin, and part-human, part-vampire. Brigit has always been considered the bad or evil twin because of her power. While James welds the power to heal, Brigit welds the power to destroy. And it is because of this power that it’s Brigit’s destiny to destroy Utanapishtim, the first immortal who thus created the first vampire- Damian (aka Gilgamesh). Utana believes he angered the gods by creating vampires in the first place and his only chance for redemption is to kill them all (which we learned in the previous book, so I’ll try not to upchuck all that information). If you need more background information, see my review of the previous book.
We are almost immediately delved into the action in the book as Brigit sets out after Utana first thing. It’s pretty interesting watching them try to fry each other with their eye blasts. However, Utana gets away for a time, as he is convinced by the DPI bad guy to come with him and be on his side since he wants to eradicate vampires as well. Nash Gravenham-Bail (said DPI bad guy) takes Utana to a hidden mansion where he is basically worshiped for the king/priest he used to be and lives the life of luxury. Brigit sneaks in posed as a belly-dancer in order to get close to Utana. However, her plan back-fired as she entrances Utana with her dancing, which doesn’t matter because he recognized who she was from the very beginning. Utana keeps Brigit as a slave of sorts in his room (he stole her powers the same way he took James’). However, how can Brigit even try to kill someone she is falling in love with?
I’m very proud at how far Utanapishtim’s character has grown. I have to admit, I thought he was a donkey’s hind end in the previous book. He is much more than what he seems… much, much more. And much more intelligent than I gave him credit for. Utana also finds that he is falling for Brigit and starts to question what he thought he knew. How can he kill the family of the woman he loves?
Brigit and Utana are separated after they escape the mansion when James comes for Brigit- Utana takes off in her car. Utana goes to the DPI compound in Virginia where the government is gathering all the Chosen. He wants to free the innocent humans. Brigit and James follow him just in time to see him enter the DPI compound with Nash, leaving the impression he was working with them all the time. However, Utana was not working with Nash and thus drugs and tortures Utana. Meanwhile, Brigit is trying to convince her twin and the rest of her family (and past vampires from the series) that Utana is beginning to see the light and he really doesn’t want to kill vampires, his mind has just been warped from living in ashes for 5,000 years. During this time is when Brigit gives James back his power of healing.
The family learns that Brigit is in love with Utana and Rhiannon forces her to choose between him and her family. Brigit goes after Utana. Unfortunately, she gets trapped as well, but she (for a short time) gets free and enlists the help of Roxy (a Chosen who is posing as a nurse at the DPI facility and who we were introduced to in Demon’s Kiss, Lover’s Bite, and Angle’s Pain. Roxy is a good friend of Reaper from Angle’s Pain and the oldest living Chosen. Roxy was trying to help Melinda (a Chosen with strong psychic powers) and her mom Jane. However, when Brigit tries to sneak out of Utana’s prison for the second time she is ambushed and captured by Nash.
Nash has tied up Brigit and the rest of the Chosen (except Roxy, Melinda, and Jane) to the fence surrounding the compound which can be electrified. In order to force Utana to use his power to kill the vampires he has told Utana he will kill Brigit and the Chosen if he doesn’t kill the vampires. Can you feel the climax of the book yet? Through their bond (also because Brigit drank from Utana) she tries to tell him not to do it, she doesn’t care if she dies. Just before Utana can do anything James arrives and Brigit tells him to get Roxy, Melinda, and Jane out of the compound first (which he does successfully). However, Utana cannot bring himself to murder the children which he in essence created. He therefore directs his eye frying powers on the gas line and destroys the entire DPI building including Nash and himself.
The rest of the vampires arrive on the scene and help the Chosen (James eventually got Rhiannon and the rest of the family to come around to Utana). James finds Utana’s remains and brings him home with them while Brigit is basically in an emotional coma. James reminds Brigit of what Utana told her earlier, that she still has her powers, and both James and Brigit’s powers are the same. They can both heal and destroy. So, if it has to be anyone trying to bring Utana back to life it has to be her. Fortunately, it works, so they have their happily ever after! Unfortunately, the vampire race as a whole doesn’t have quite the same HEA. All the vampires are thought destroyed by the US government, so they flee to Transylvania (I mean, who would look for vampires in Transylvania, right?)
It was nice to see or hear of most of Ms. Shayne’s vampires again, Amber-Lily, Edge, Rhiannon, Roland, Eric, Damian, Dante, Donovan, and Dracula, even if Rhiannon was really the only one who said anything important. The only loose end that I wanted resolved is from Embrace the Twilight which is Sarafina and Will Stone’s story- Will is a mortal, and not even one of the Chosen. So, how do they live happily ever after for eternity? That questions still has not been answered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2012
Setting: Mostly in Maine, vampire home & psychiatric hospital converted for use to imprison the Chosen, and Virginia, to a diplomatic safe luxury house.
Theme: Truth, gods and prophecy, manipulation, rights, love
Characters:
Brigit Poe - JW’s twin - seen as the ‘bad twin’... 1/4th vampire, 3/4ths human... has many vampire strengths, but sun is okay as well as regular food... she can direct energy to blow up things...she is a warrior, strong, determined, embracing her vampiric side. She is sent to fulfill the prophecy, to kill Utana to protect the remaining vampires.
James J.W. - the ‘good twin’... 3/4ths human... has many vampire strengths, but sun is okay as well as regular food... he can direct energy in the healing of people... he is a doctor, who uses his vampiric skills as little as possible... in the last book he found his true love, and in trying to fulfill a Babylonian prophecy of resurrection Utanapishtim, the creator of the vampires 3,000 years ago - to bring life to his ashes in an urn in a museum, he does ‘heal’ Utana, but brings back a crazed man, who has been in sensory deprivation for thousands of years, and manipulated by Nash and a crazy anti vampire book, he believes that to get back on the good side of his gods, he must destroy the vampires- and he makes good inroads into doing so.
Utana , Ziasudra in Sumerian, Utanapishtim in Babylonian -but JW brings back a crazed man, who has been in sensory deprivation for thousands of years, and manipulated by Nash and a crazy anti vampire book, he believes that to get back on the good side of his gods, he must destroy the vampires- and he makes good inroads into doing so. But in this book, we find a man who is collecting the pieces of himself, he regrets death that he brings, he is trying to understand the world and the language (it helps that he can touch and object and assimilate all information about it)... and he feels an attraction and connection to Brigit...
Eric & Tamara; Rhiannon & Roland; Jameson & Angelica; Edge & Amber Lily; Sarafina& Willem - vampires of the previous books who have survived, and are trying to make plans for a future.
Melinda & Jane - Melinda is a 7 year old, gifted Chosen; with insight to people’s motives and sees a bit into the future... her mother is her protector... and they willingly go to the ‘detention camp’ under the belief that the vampires would do her harm if they stayed home. Instead they find themselves in a pleasant detention camp, and Melinda can see that they mean to use them to do harm.
Special Agent Nash Gravenham-Bail – evil… DPI/CIA… he manipulated the twins to resurrect Utana by altering Babylon tablets… he plans on using Utana to destroy all of the vampires… and he started the Americans on the rampage against vampires – knowing that humans would also die like in the witch hunts… and he tracks Utana, and sets him up in luxury, pretending to treat him like a king.
Summary –
Utana is hurting… he’s confused, he’s hungry and wet, he doesn’t know the language well… and he goes into a fancy restaurant, where they refuse to serve him… but he pushes his way in, takes a try of covered food, pushing more people around… finds an open van door, and goes inside to get out of the rain and to eat… he really enjoys the food… but he feels the SWAT team gathering outside… and he steps out, and with energy from his eyes he kills them all… and he feels terrible remorse, but …
Brigit the vampire’s best hope to kill Utana, sending him back into oblivion… She tracks to the van, and ‘relives’ his emotions as he got the food, ate it, and killed the team… feeling his confusion, his hunger, his sadness at the death… and then he is there, and they fight, exchanging electric bolts… Utana finds he cannot kill her… and she gets one good zap to him in the gut… and he takes her power (though she doesn’t know it)… she retreats, and watches as Nash picks him up…
And Nash sets him up, and though Utana is also imprisoned, he doesn’t know it… Nash and staff address him as royalty, flattering him… he asks for dancers, and Brigit sees it as her ‘in’ to the compound…
And Utana recognizes her, and protects her, and asks for her to be his personal maid… and they talk, and they kiss, and… Though both acknowledge the other as enemy, and both plans to kill the other, bit by bit, they realize they can’t hurt the other… Utana ‘bargains’ with the gods to save her… and ultimately realizes that even if it means he goes back to limbo, he cannot kill her. And Brigit uses their time to try to logically convince him that he is misinterpreting what the gods want… that perhaps it is his destiny to save the vampires, or to meet her, or…
And when they realize that Nash is suspicious of her, and they catch hints that the Chosen at the psychiatrist hospital to lure the vampires – by hurting the Chosen, which will ‘call’ the vampire’s protective presence. And though Brigit wants his promise that he will not hurt any vampire, he cannot yet give it, but he does promise to a truce to hurt no one until they have rescued the Chosen. He gives her JW’s healing power (when they were in the complex)… a then starts to explain that their powers were exactly the same, just one uses for healing the other for power.
And her family and friends are slow to see him the way she does (but ultimately they do)… and unfortunately Nash steps up his time table and captures both Utana and Brigit – drugging Utana, and threatening to hurt Brigit unless he does as told. Brigit mindspeaks and tells him she’s immortal, and she can take whatever pain, not to comply… She uses her power to get out of her restraints… she gets her brother to save Miranda and mother and nurse… and Utana, rather than killing the vampires (and the Chosen that are ‘attached’ to the electric fence and zapped to call the vampires), blows up the propane tanks in the basement of the hospital, bringing it down on them all… and JW, using power in a new way, clears the debris to get to Utana… and the group take his broken body and a passed out Brigit back home… and JW tells Brigit she must heal Utana… which she does, which he had been depending on… and they all move to Transylvania, to live happily ever after… ahhhh
Theme: Truth, gods and prophecy, manipulation, rights, love
Characters:
Brigit Poe - JW’s twin - seen as the ‘bad twin’... 1/4th vampire, 3/4ths human... has many vampire strengths, but sun is okay as well as regular food... she can direct energy to blow up things...she is a warrior, strong, determined, embracing her vampiric side. She is sent to fulfill the prophecy, to kill Utana to protect the remaining vampires.
James J.W. - the ‘good twin’... 3/4ths human... has many vampire strengths, but sun is okay as well as regular food... he can direct energy in the healing of people... he is a doctor, who uses his vampiric skills as little as possible... in the last book he found his true love, and in trying to fulfill a Babylonian prophecy of resurrection Utanapishtim, the creator of the vampires 3,000 years ago - to bring life to his ashes in an urn in a museum, he does ‘heal’ Utana, but brings back a crazed man, who has been in sensory deprivation for thousands of years, and manipulated by Nash and a crazy anti vampire book, he believes that to get back on the good side of his gods, he must destroy the vampires- and he makes good inroads into doing so.
Utana , Ziasudra in Sumerian, Utanapishtim in Babylonian -but JW brings back a crazed man, who has been in sensory deprivation for thousands of years, and manipulated by Nash and a crazy anti vampire book, he believes that to get back on the good side of his gods, he must destroy the vampires- and he makes good inroads into doing so. But in this book, we find a man who is collecting the pieces of himself, he regrets death that he brings, he is trying to understand the world and the language (it helps that he can touch and object and assimilate all information about it)... and he feels an attraction and connection to Brigit...
Eric & Tamara; Rhiannon & Roland; Jameson & Angelica; Edge & Amber Lily; Sarafina& Willem - vampires of the previous books who have survived, and are trying to make plans for a future.
Melinda & Jane - Melinda is a 7 year old, gifted Chosen; with insight to people’s motives and sees a bit into the future... her mother is her protector... and they willingly go to the ‘detention camp’ under the belief that the vampires would do her harm if they stayed home. Instead they find themselves in a pleasant detention camp, and Melinda can see that they mean to use them to do harm.
Special Agent Nash Gravenham-Bail – evil… DPI/CIA… he manipulated the twins to resurrect Utana by altering Babylon tablets… he plans on using Utana to destroy all of the vampires… and he started the Americans on the rampage against vampires – knowing that humans would also die like in the witch hunts… and he tracks Utana, and sets him up in luxury, pretending to treat him like a king.
Summary –
Utana is hurting… he’s confused, he’s hungry and wet, he doesn’t know the language well… and he goes into a fancy restaurant, where they refuse to serve him… but he pushes his way in, takes a try of covered food, pushing more people around… finds an open van door, and goes inside to get out of the rain and to eat… he really enjoys the food… but he feels the SWAT team gathering outside… and he steps out, and with energy from his eyes he kills them all… and he feels terrible remorse, but …
Brigit the vampire’s best hope to kill Utana, sending him back into oblivion… She tracks to the van, and ‘relives’ his emotions as he got the food, ate it, and killed the team… feeling his confusion, his hunger, his sadness at the death… and then he is there, and they fight, exchanging electric bolts… Utana finds he cannot kill her… and she gets one good zap to him in the gut… and he takes her power (though she doesn’t know it)… she retreats, and watches as Nash picks him up…
And Nash sets him up, and though Utana is also imprisoned, he doesn’t know it… Nash and staff address him as royalty, flattering him… he asks for dancers, and Brigit sees it as her ‘in’ to the compound…
And Utana recognizes her, and protects her, and asks for her to be his personal maid… and they talk, and they kiss, and… Though both acknowledge the other as enemy, and both plans to kill the other, bit by bit, they realize they can’t hurt the other… Utana ‘bargains’ with the gods to save her… and ultimately realizes that even if it means he goes back to limbo, he cannot kill her. And Brigit uses their time to try to logically convince him that he is misinterpreting what the gods want… that perhaps it is his destiny to save the vampires, or to meet her, or…
And when they realize that Nash is suspicious of her, and they catch hints that the Chosen at the psychiatrist hospital to lure the vampires – by hurting the Chosen, which will ‘call’ the vampire’s protective presence. And though Brigit wants his promise that he will not hurt any vampire, he cannot yet give it, but he does promise to a truce to hurt no one until they have rescued the Chosen. He gives her JW’s healing power (when they were in the complex)… a then starts to explain that their powers were exactly the same, just one uses for healing the other for power.
And her family and friends are slow to see him the way she does (but ultimately they do)… and unfortunately Nash steps up his time table and captures both Utana and Brigit – drugging Utana, and threatening to hurt Brigit unless he does as told. Brigit mindspeaks and tells him she’s immortal, and she can take whatever pain, not to comply… She uses her power to get out of her restraints… she gets her brother to save Miranda and mother and nurse… and Utana, rather than killing the vampires (and the Chosen that are ‘attached’ to the electric fence and zapped to call the vampires), blows up the propane tanks in the basement of the hospital, bringing it down on them all… and JW, using power in a new way, clears the debris to get to Utana… and the group take his broken body and a passed out Brigit back home… and JW tells Brigit she must heal Utana… which she does, which he had been depending on… and they all move to Transylvania, to live happily ever after… ahhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2024
Great Ending for a Great Series…… For Now
This book, and the one right before it, are my favorite books in this series, thus far. If you only read 2 books in this series in order, these last two are a must (although I would HIGHLY recommend reading this entire series in order), because they are basically one book broken into two parts. Twilight Prophecy is one of the VERY few books in this series that ends in an absolute cliffhanger, and Twilight Fulfilled picks up exactly where it left off.
There’s not a lot I can say about this book, specifically, without a LOT of spoilers, and I don’t really like spoilers. What I can say, is that Maggie Shayne knocked it out of the park with this one! It was a fantastic read, from start to finish, and I LOVED every page of it! If you like paranormal romances about vampires and other things, then this book and this series are made for you. I reread this series on a regular basis, every other year, or so, and, even knowing what’s going to happen, I STILL love it anyway. This series, and this book, are just that great, and I REALLY recommend reading all of them. They are AMAZING!!!
This book, and the one right before it, are my favorite books in this series, thus far. If you only read 2 books in this series in order, these last two are a must (although I would HIGHLY recommend reading this entire series in order), because they are basically one book broken into two parts. Twilight Prophecy is one of the VERY few books in this series that ends in an absolute cliffhanger, and Twilight Fulfilled picks up exactly where it left off.
There’s not a lot I can say about this book, specifically, without a LOT of spoilers, and I don’t really like spoilers. What I can say, is that Maggie Shayne knocked it out of the park with this one! It was a fantastic read, from start to finish, and I LOVED every page of it! If you like paranormal romances about vampires and other things, then this book and this series are made for you. I reread this series on a regular basis, every other year, or so, and, even knowing what’s going to happen, I STILL love it anyway. This series, and this book, are just that great, and I REALLY recommend reading all of them. They are AMAZING!!!
February 3, 2021
I read this series first at Amber Lily and Edges book. I enjoyed it but not enough that I felt like I had to read all the books. I did like it enough that I went back and read Amber Lily’s parents story which was not nearly as good. I found her dad completely different, angry and entitled and mean. Nothing like the guy I met in his daughters book. Then I thought why not keep this family affair thing going and I’ll read J.W. And Bridgets stories. James story was barely ok. He’s got such a messiah complex he’s hard to read. In his story we meet Utana as he murders dozens of vampires. Then in Bridgets story I’m supposed to think “eh, he wasn’t in his right mind so... opps?” Sorry but no! I was so disturbed by him being somehow ok to like now. It was the worst book I’ve read so far in the series and I can’t be bothered to read any of the others.
January 15, 2024
Twilight Fulfilled was a worthy read. Despite my disappointment with the previous novel, I very much enjoyed this one. I originally did not like the character of Utana, but he completely redeemed himself in this one. The romantic aspect and the surrounding plot was well balanced. The story was fast-paced and exciting. I couldn't give it five stars because I felt the story could have been more well developed, especially the end which ended a bit too abruptly. But overall, I enjoyed this novel.
September 29, 2025
Unlikely Lovers
DPI is out to kill all The Chosen as well as all the vampires. The creator of the first vampire is brought back from death and tricked into believing he must kill all the vampires. Then he meets Brigitte and nothing is the same for either of them. This was a very suspenseful story.
DPI is out to kill all The Chosen as well as all the vampires. The creator of the first vampire is brought back from death and tricked into believing he must kill all the vampires. Then he meets Brigitte and nothing is the same for either of them. This was a very suspenseful story.
August 27, 2018
Une lecture sympathique mais qui, honnêtement manque d’originalité de mon point de vu. Le suspens est génial et continue jusqu’au dernier moment mais j’ai trouvée la fin un peu expédiée. Une super lecture quand même !
May 24, 2017
Glad this book is finally finished
This book was a very long read ,it has been my least favorite book in the series and I finally have got it read .
This book was a very long read ,it has been my least favorite book in the series and I finally have got it read .
August 24, 2017
OMG wow! This was epic. Amazing. Some was expected, other parts were hilarious. All was seriously awesome.
August 9, 2019
Took me awhile to get into this one.
December 7, 2021
I loved it! What an end to this 2 part series on the Poe twins! I loved seeing Brigit come into herself as a warrior and woman and shed the bad twin image she is convinced is her true nature!
September 24, 2011
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: September 20, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Mira
Author’s Website:
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 18, Wing in the Night series
Series Best Read In Order: Yes and No (explained in review)
Steam Level: Steamy
Official Blurb:
Utanapishtim has paid dearly for the sin of creating the vampire race—imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants…and the vampire Armageddon begins.
Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but fiercely loyal to that shared bloodline, is called into action. She abhors yet cannot deny her destiny: to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race.
Two warriors, equally matched in power and determination, are soon locked in an unwinnable battle, only to discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they've ever known—even as they must face one final battle that seems fated to end in death and heartbreak for them both.
Yes, yes, YES! I was so happy to get my greedy little hands on this book, because I've been excited about it ever since I heard that Utanapishtim (the Big Bad from Twilight Prophecy, and pronounced "ooo-tah-nah-pish-tim" for those like me whose brains melted the first time they read it) was going to be the hero paired with the "evil twin", Brigit.
After all that had gone down in Twilight Prophecy, I couldn't fathom how Ms. Shayne could possibly redeem Utana, but she did a fantastic job of making him a sympathetic character without castrating the great Warrior King. He's still insufferably pompous and arrogant, old fashioned and misogynistic (because, really, he's freaking Noah from the Great Flood for cryin' out loud -- a metrosexual this guy is not), and yet he also grieves deeply for the deaths of his vampire "children" and the fact that he must kill them all to appease his gods.
Now, earlier I said that this series both works well as a standalone and is better read in order. Let me clarify -- I think that as far as the entire Wings in the Night series goes, it stands perfectly well on its own. I actually came to the series quite late myself (book 17) and didn't feel as though I'd missed the information necessary for me to keep up. However, I do suggest reading Twilight Prophecy first for two main reasons. First, it's important to see the dynamic between the Mongrel Twins (James and Brigit), and second, it's the first half of Utana's story. Granted, Ms. Shayne does a very good job of explaining the vital portions missed if you don't want to go back and read the other one first, but even so, I personally would suggest reading these last two in order.
In short, I loved it. While the ending was still open enough to leave the option of future installments of the series, nothing was left feeling "unfinished", and I believed in the HEA, which is very important to me in any romance novel.
In the end, I really enjoyed this one. Utana is sexy and powerful and delicious and yet is still deeply flawed, and is able to eventually own up to his mistakes. Brigit finally breaks free of her Evil Twin designation, and weathers such betrayal and heartbreak over the course of the novel, but still remains true to herself. The sensuality was exactly what it needed to be, and the actual romance itself, although fast, was actually quite believable.
Recommended for fans of old-fashioned alphas finally finding their equal, of heroines convinced of their unworthiness finally realizing their true powers, and of a romance that overcomes even the largest of obstacles.
A very cheerful 4.5/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: September 20, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Mira
Author’s Website:
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 18, Wing in the Night series
Series Best Read In Order: Yes and No (explained in review)
Steam Level: Steamy
Official Blurb:
Utanapishtim has paid dearly for the sin of creating the vampire race—imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants…and the vampire Armageddon begins.
Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but fiercely loyal to that shared bloodline, is called into action. She abhors yet cannot deny her destiny: to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race.
Two warriors, equally matched in power and determination, are soon locked in an unwinnable battle, only to discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they've ever known—even as they must face one final battle that seems fated to end in death and heartbreak for them both.
Yes, yes, YES! I was so happy to get my greedy little hands on this book, because I've been excited about it ever since I heard that Utanapishtim (the Big Bad from Twilight Prophecy, and pronounced "ooo-tah-nah-pish-tim" for those like me whose brains melted the first time they read it) was going to be the hero paired with the "evil twin", Brigit.
After all that had gone down in Twilight Prophecy, I couldn't fathom how Ms. Shayne could possibly redeem Utana, but she did a fantastic job of making him a sympathetic character without castrating the great Warrior King. He's still insufferably pompous and arrogant, old fashioned and misogynistic (because, really, he's freaking Noah from the Great Flood for cryin' out loud -- a metrosexual this guy is not), and yet he also grieves deeply for the deaths of his vampire "children" and the fact that he must kill them all to appease his gods.
Now, earlier I said that this series both works well as a standalone and is better read in order. Let me clarify -- I think that as far as the entire Wings in the Night series goes, it stands perfectly well on its own. I actually came to the series quite late myself (book 17) and didn't feel as though I'd missed the information necessary for me to keep up. However, I do suggest reading Twilight Prophecy first for two main reasons. First, it's important to see the dynamic between the Mongrel Twins (James and Brigit), and second, it's the first half of Utana's story. Granted, Ms. Shayne does a very good job of explaining the vital portions missed if you don't want to go back and read the other one first, but even so, I personally would suggest reading these last two in order.
In short, I loved it. While the ending was still open enough to leave the option of future installments of the series, nothing was left feeling "unfinished", and I believed in the HEA, which is very important to me in any romance novel.
In the end, I really enjoyed this one. Utana is sexy and powerful and delicious and yet is still deeply flawed, and is able to eventually own up to his mistakes. Brigit finally breaks free of her Evil Twin designation, and weathers such betrayal and heartbreak over the course of the novel, but still remains true to herself. The sensuality was exactly what it needed to be, and the actual romance itself, although fast, was actually quite believable.
Recommended for fans of old-fashioned alphas finally finding their equal, of heroines convinced of their unworthiness finally realizing their true powers, and of a romance that overcomes even the largest of obstacles.
A very cheerful 4.5/5 Stars
October 23, 2011
A great read, especially for lovers of Vampires! Sink your fangs into this series! However, best start from the begining than jump to this book straight away.
Allow me to run you up to speed in what has previously happened in the prequal to Twilight Fulfilled and a bit of history about the Series that created these two books.
Twilight Fulfilled is a story that continues on from Twilight Prophecy.
The two books combined are called "Children of Twilight" and are about twins J.W (James William)and Briget Poe the children of Amber Lily and Edge Poe from "Wings of Night Series" - Following me so far?
Twilight Prophecy is about the "Good Twin" J.W who has the gift of healing and raised Utana, the first immortal from the dead thinking it was to save his vampire race, what they didnt know is the DPI (Department of Paranormal Investigations a Division of the CIA) had been plotting this for a very long time hoping to kill vampires for good and J.W did just that, raising the great flood survivor and first immortal from the dead, his power was so great, he can kill with fire beams from his eyes and touch anything and be able to learn from it. With his power of what I call, Touch&Learn he reads a book that was lying around written by DPI that says vampires are bad and goes around killing them thinking that the Gods wanted him to do this so he could finally go to the Land of Dead or Heaven - The DPI couldnt be more happy with this plan going exactly the way they want it.
Now, Twilight Fulfilled is about Bridget the "Evil Twin" who has the gift of killing, her power works just like Utanas. Up until now we know that Bridget it a warrior, she has power and a temper, this is what we learn from the previous book from her brother J.W who talks about her as if she has no fear.
But in Twilight Fulfilled it is all about Bridget and as the only one who has powers equal to Utana she is sent off to save her family from the death that Utana would bring upon them and that J.W sentenced them to thinking he was doing the right thing. In the begining we see the girl who J.W describes and we feel a sense of relief that help is coming for our favourite Vampires. But we also see another side to her, as the story progresses the Evil Twin finds herself at crossroads. Of course I wont reveal why, or how, that you will have to read for yourself but I can give you a small summary.
When it is one's job to kill and its building up on their shoulders, what happens when you find yourself failing? and failing fast?
That is, what I find, a quick summary of what the two main characters in this book are going through. Throughout the book we feel the pain, the failure, the agony that is on their shoulders, the job that must be completed and when it is your Gods and Family you have to kill for how can you not fail them? Utana must kill Bridget and the entire Vampire species for his Gods and Bridget must kill Utana to ensure the survival of the Vampire Species, which happens to be her parents, grandparents and aunties and uncles left.
Most of the Wings of Night series, surviving main characters known as "Elders" in this series, Rhiannon/Roland, Eric/Tamara, Angel/Jameson, Edge/Amber Lily, Damian/Shannon all make an appearance in the storyline.
You will find yourself torn between what is morally acceptable and morally wrong...
Happy Reading,
Lola
Allow me to run you up to speed in what has previously happened in the prequal to Twilight Fulfilled and a bit of history about the Series that created these two books.
Twilight Fulfilled is a story that continues on from Twilight Prophecy.
The two books combined are called "Children of Twilight" and are about twins J.W (James William)and Briget Poe the children of Amber Lily and Edge Poe from "Wings of Night Series" - Following me so far?
Twilight Prophecy is about the "Good Twin" J.W who has the gift of healing and raised Utana, the first immortal from the dead thinking it was to save his vampire race, what they didnt know is the DPI (Department of Paranormal Investigations a Division of the CIA) had been plotting this for a very long time hoping to kill vampires for good and J.W did just that, raising the great flood survivor and first immortal from the dead, his power was so great, he can kill with fire beams from his eyes and touch anything and be able to learn from it. With his power of what I call, Touch&Learn he reads a book that was lying around written by DPI that says vampires are bad and goes around killing them thinking that the Gods wanted him to do this so he could finally go to the Land of Dead or Heaven - The DPI couldnt be more happy with this plan going exactly the way they want it.
Now, Twilight Fulfilled is about Bridget the "Evil Twin" who has the gift of killing, her power works just like Utanas. Up until now we know that Bridget it a warrior, she has power and a temper, this is what we learn from the previous book from her brother J.W who talks about her as if she has no fear.
But in Twilight Fulfilled it is all about Bridget and as the only one who has powers equal to Utana she is sent off to save her family from the death that Utana would bring upon them and that J.W sentenced them to thinking he was doing the right thing. In the begining we see the girl who J.W describes and we feel a sense of relief that help is coming for our favourite Vampires. But we also see another side to her, as the story progresses the Evil Twin finds herself at crossroads. Of course I wont reveal why, or how, that you will have to read for yourself but I can give you a small summary.
When it is one's job to kill and its building up on their shoulders, what happens when you find yourself failing? and failing fast?
That is, what I find, a quick summary of what the two main characters in this book are going through. Throughout the book we feel the pain, the failure, the agony that is on their shoulders, the job that must be completed and when it is your Gods and Family you have to kill for how can you not fail them? Utana must kill Bridget and the entire Vampire species for his Gods and Bridget must kill Utana to ensure the survival of the Vampire Species, which happens to be her parents, grandparents and aunties and uncles left.
Most of the Wings of Night series, surviving main characters known as "Elders" in this series, Rhiannon/Roland, Eric/Tamara, Angel/Jameson, Edge/Amber Lily, Damian/Shannon all make an appearance in the storyline.
You will find yourself torn between what is morally acceptable and morally wrong...
Happy Reading,
Lola
February 6, 2023
Known to her kind as the evil twin, possessing the power to kill and destroy while her brother possesses the ability to help and to heal, the heroine has always felt like the only way to be useful to her family was to be their assassin.
To stop the humans from destroying their kind, an ancient was resurrected- this immortal the first of their kind and the father to them all. But everything's gone wrong. He awoken insane from his five thousand year imprisonment and convinced the gods have cursed him for his sins, he thinks the only way to free himself is to slaughter every vampire. So, the being meant to be their savor is actually their biggest threat. So the heroine is sent to kill him. But he is insanely strong and worse than his powers is his strange power of her. A woman who never knew mercy or forgiveness is suddenly haunted by the innocence in the enemies eyes.
Inside of him she can see a good man, confused and lost in a knew world, he's in pain and that hurt resonates within her for some reason. So, even though they do battle, neither can bring themselves to kill the other. Not to be swayed from her mission though, the heroine follows the ancient one, determined to do what needs to be done and kill him.
The hero is a deeply religious man, once a king and priest he is driven to do horrible unspeakable things to his children all because he's been convinced his gods had decreed it to be so. The knowledge of what he's done sickens him but it's what he must do. Then he meets the heroine. Though she's his enemy sent to kill him he can't stop himself from falling for her. She tried to convince him that he's being used by the humans, that if his gods were as great as he claims them to be, they could never ask him to kill an entire race of beings. Torn between his beliefs and the sense his woman is making, the hero knows that no matter what happens allowing the heroine to be hurt or killed is something he'll never allow.
To him she's like a goddess, strong beautiful and passionate and she belongs to him. When is becomes clear that the enemy isn't the vampires or the gods but rather the human government, the heroine must convince her family that the hero isn't the monster they think him to be. And together they must save the Chosen and themselves in the process.
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Typically this author is a 3 star rater but I can say that I was kind of in love with this story. The hero was such a complex yet strangely basic character. On one hand he is extremely powerful and larger than life yet he is childlike in the way he explores this new world he finds himself in. He is quick to deliver justice to those who wrong him yet he feels each and every act of violence like a shard of glass in his soul. The same could be said for the heroine. She was bad ass, powerful enough to handle herself in a fight with an ancient being yet she can recognize goodness in her enemy and when given the chance to take him out, she realizes she could no sooner kill him than any other innocent. Together they had a great chemistry and though they went through a rough patch in the beginning what with the whole trying to kill each other thing, eventually they developed a deep and lasting love that I adored. Best of the series by far and it's given me inspiration to read the other books of the series.
To stop the humans from destroying their kind, an ancient was resurrected- this immortal the first of their kind and the father to them all. But everything's gone wrong. He awoken insane from his five thousand year imprisonment and convinced the gods have cursed him for his sins, he thinks the only way to free himself is to slaughter every vampire. So, the being meant to be their savor is actually their biggest threat. So the heroine is sent to kill him. But he is insanely strong and worse than his powers is his strange power of her. A woman who never knew mercy or forgiveness is suddenly haunted by the innocence in the enemies eyes.
Inside of him she can see a good man, confused and lost in a knew world, he's in pain and that hurt resonates within her for some reason. So, even though they do battle, neither can bring themselves to kill the other. Not to be swayed from her mission though, the heroine follows the ancient one, determined to do what needs to be done and kill him.
The hero is a deeply religious man, once a king and priest he is driven to do horrible unspeakable things to his children all because he's been convinced his gods had decreed it to be so. The knowledge of what he's done sickens him but it's what he must do. Then he meets the heroine. Though she's his enemy sent to kill him he can't stop himself from falling for her. She tried to convince him that he's being used by the humans, that if his gods were as great as he claims them to be, they could never ask him to kill an entire race of beings. Torn between his beliefs and the sense his woman is making, the hero knows that no matter what happens allowing the heroine to be hurt or killed is something he'll never allow.
To him she's like a goddess, strong beautiful and passionate and she belongs to him. When is becomes clear that the enemy isn't the vampires or the gods but rather the human government, the heroine must convince her family that the hero isn't the monster they think him to be. And together they must save the Chosen and themselves in the process.
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Typically this author is a 3 star rater but I can say that I was kind of in love with this story. The hero was such a complex yet strangely basic character. On one hand he is extremely powerful and larger than life yet he is childlike in the way he explores this new world he finds himself in. He is quick to deliver justice to those who wrong him yet he feels each and every act of violence like a shard of glass in his soul. The same could be said for the heroine. She was bad ass, powerful enough to handle herself in a fight with an ancient being yet she can recognize goodness in her enemy and when given the chance to take him out, she realizes she could no sooner kill him than any other innocent. Together they had a great chemistry and though they went through a rough patch in the beginning what with the whole trying to kill each other thing, eventually they developed a deep and lasting love that I adored. Best of the series by far and it's given me inspiration to read the other books of the series.
September 4, 2011
*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Paranormal Romance
*Review*
Note: It is my firm recommendation that readers or interested parties in this story first read Twilight Prophecy (Wings in the Night #17). You might ask what the reason is for my recommendation. Simple actually. Twilight Fulfilled in the sequel to that novel. The key players remain absolutely the same, but it adds a few more to make the plot and storyline more appealing to readers.
The story itself surrounds two main characters Utana and Brigit. Yes, James and Lucy the former Chosen who became a vampire are back as well, but James story was Twilight Prophecy.
Utana, or Utanapishtim of Babylonian is a 5000 years old vampire; the first immortal from ancient Sumeria is alive and on the loose. Between Utana and human vigilantes, they have eliminated hundreds of vampires including friends and family of Brigit and James. Utana is able to blast a beam of light from his eyes and can steal the powers away from anyone such as James's ability to heal. Utana can also sense vampires just as they can sense the presence of the Chosen who they swear to protect at all costs. When Utana meets Nash Gravenham-Bail a Special Agent for the CIA's Department of Paranormal Investigations; he is taken in by his lies and agrees work with him to eliminate not only the vampires, but the chosen as well.
Brigit Poe is part vampire, part human who has the face of angel, the heart of a demon and the power of Satan himself. While James used his healing powers to raise Utana from the ashes; Brigit is tasked to kill Utana before he can eliminate the rest of the vampires. She has a hair-trigger temper that suits her for the job. After Brigit faces off with Utana and exchanges a blistering kiss with him, it eventually leads her to a better understanding of Utana and how he has been misguided into killing the vampires on the behest of the Division of Paranormal Investigations--a Black ops division of the CIA. What was an antagonist relationship with Brigit desiring vengeance against Utana, becomes something so much more romantic.
One of the more interesting characters is Roxanne Corona (Roxy) who has been a friend to the vampires all her life. She is one of the Chosen. The Chosen tend not to live past the age of 40 but she has defeated the odds. Roxy has no desire to become a vampire but will do anything to help them against the government who wants to see them extinct. Roxy is in hiding at the St. Dymphna Asylum where the government is collecting all the Belladonna carriers. Roxy is also a card carrying spell caster.
I like the character development of Utana in this story. He goes from being an extremely dangerous and misguided threat to the vampires, to understanding and loving someone who he believes was sent by the Gods themself. Readers won't be disappointed that James, or Lucy or the rest of the surviving vampires don't make up more of the story than they do. In the end, the story is brought together perfectly to the point where readers will enjoy it tremendously. My only regret, is not starting this series from the first book on. Now the series has come to an end with this release.
Expected publication: September 20th 2011 by Mira --This is actually the sequel to Twilight Prophecy.
*Genre* Paranormal Romance
*Review*
Note: It is my firm recommendation that readers or interested parties in this story first read Twilight Prophecy (Wings in the Night #17). You might ask what the reason is for my recommendation. Simple actually. Twilight Fulfilled in the sequel to that novel. The key players remain absolutely the same, but it adds a few more to make the plot and storyline more appealing to readers.
The story itself surrounds two main characters Utana and Brigit. Yes, James and Lucy the former Chosen who became a vampire are back as well, but James story was Twilight Prophecy.
Utana, or Utanapishtim of Babylonian is a 5000 years old vampire; the first immortal from ancient Sumeria is alive and on the loose. Between Utana and human vigilantes, they have eliminated hundreds of vampires including friends and family of Brigit and James. Utana is able to blast a beam of light from his eyes and can steal the powers away from anyone such as James's ability to heal. Utana can also sense vampires just as they can sense the presence of the Chosen who they swear to protect at all costs. When Utana meets Nash Gravenham-Bail a Special Agent for the CIA's Department of Paranormal Investigations; he is taken in by his lies and agrees work with him to eliminate not only the vampires, but the chosen as well.
Brigit Poe is part vampire, part human who has the face of angel, the heart of a demon and the power of Satan himself. While James used his healing powers to raise Utana from the ashes; Brigit is tasked to kill Utana before he can eliminate the rest of the vampires. She has a hair-trigger temper that suits her for the job. After Brigit faces off with Utana and exchanges a blistering kiss with him, it eventually leads her to a better understanding of Utana and how he has been misguided into killing the vampires on the behest of the Division of Paranormal Investigations--a Black ops division of the CIA. What was an antagonist relationship with Brigit desiring vengeance against Utana, becomes something so much more romantic.
One of the more interesting characters is Roxanne Corona (Roxy) who has been a friend to the vampires all her life. She is one of the Chosen. The Chosen tend not to live past the age of 40 but she has defeated the odds. Roxy has no desire to become a vampire but will do anything to help them against the government who wants to see them extinct. Roxy is in hiding at the St. Dymphna Asylum where the government is collecting all the Belladonna carriers. Roxy is also a card carrying spell caster.
I like the character development of Utana in this story. He goes from being an extremely dangerous and misguided threat to the vampires, to understanding and loving someone who he believes was sent by the Gods themself. Readers won't be disappointed that James, or Lucy or the rest of the surviving vampires don't make up more of the story than they do. In the end, the story is brought together perfectly to the point where readers will enjoy it tremendously. My only regret, is not starting this series from the first book on. Now the series has come to an end with this release.
Expected publication: September 20th 2011 by Mira --This is actually the sequel to Twilight Prophecy.
September 2, 2011
Twilight Fullfulled, Book #18 of the Wings in the Night series
Author: Maggie Shayne
Synopsis: Utanapishtim has paid dearly for the sin of creating the vampire race—imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants…and the vampire Armageddon begins.
Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but fiercely loyal to that shared bloodline, is called into action. She abhors yet cannot deny her destiny: to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race.
Two warriors, equally matched in power and determination, are soon locked in an unwinnable battle, only to discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they've ever known—even as they must face one final battle that seems fated to end in death and heartbreak for them both.
Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]:
The wonderfulness of this book can be gleaned from one of the best literary quotes ever in my opinion… “Never, has a great king been brought so low by one so slight. My heart…you hold in your hands. The mighty heart of an immortal king is more fragile than a butterfly’s wings in your grasp. No arrow, no weapon, could pierce its stonelike shell. And yet at your touch, at your kiss, it quivers like a frightened lamb. I find there is anything I will not do if you only ask it. These things I admit to you with great trepidation. –Maggie Shayne, Twilight Fulfilled” If your heart did not just melt at that, then…
The last in an epic journey, Twilight Fulfilled left me laughing, cheering, squealing, and ultimately crying; all with a smile.
An action-packed thrill ride, Twilight Fulfilled leads you on a roller coaster of human (er…immortal??) emotion, dissects the way that society affects our way of thinking with propaganda and the like, thereby planting seeds of doubt where none should belong. It also proves that even in some of the direst of circumstances, love really CAN conquer all.
Knowing the author the little that I do, I’m almost certain that last one was the big ‘message’ she was hoping to get across with this book, and she did it beautifully.
I’m very saddened, yet in a light hearted way, to see this series come to an end. It has been a cornerstone of strength for me on many an occasion and I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be going back to its books for repeat performances and re-reads!
Maggie is a genius with the written word, truly did write vampires before vampires were cool, and has wrapped up Wings in the Night with a pretty blood red bow—a gift for any reader!
LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Twilight Fulfilled 4 ½ Skulls. We definitely recommend it for ALL Maggie Shayne fans, Urban Fantasy readers, Vampire lovers, and even Paranormal Romance addicts (though this installment was more about the story and tying up the series than the sex).
Three cheers for Maggie Shayne, Twilight Fulfilled, and the entire Wings in the Night series. You truly have been my Author Lifesaver…. :-)
Author: Maggie Shayne
Synopsis: Utanapishtim has paid dearly for the sin of creating the vampire race—imprisoned in a living death for centuries, driven to near madness. With a single white-hot glance, he immolates his descendants…and the vampire Armageddon begins.
Beautiful and deadly Brigit Poe, not wholly vampire but fiercely loyal to that shared bloodline, is called into action. She abhors yet cannot deny her destiny: to vanquish the once-great king of the immortals and save the vampire race.
Two warriors, equally matched in power and determination, are soon locked in an unwinnable battle, only to discover a passion so shocking it threatens every truth they've ever known—even as they must face one final battle that seems fated to end in death and heartbreak for them both.
Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]:
The wonderfulness of this book can be gleaned from one of the best literary quotes ever in my opinion… “Never, has a great king been brought so low by one so slight. My heart…you hold in your hands. The mighty heart of an immortal king is more fragile than a butterfly’s wings in your grasp. No arrow, no weapon, could pierce its stonelike shell. And yet at your touch, at your kiss, it quivers like a frightened lamb. I find there is anything I will not do if you only ask it. These things I admit to you with great trepidation. –Maggie Shayne, Twilight Fulfilled” If your heart did not just melt at that, then…
The last in an epic journey, Twilight Fulfilled left me laughing, cheering, squealing, and ultimately crying; all with a smile.
An action-packed thrill ride, Twilight Fulfilled leads you on a roller coaster of human (er…immortal??) emotion, dissects the way that society affects our way of thinking with propaganda and the like, thereby planting seeds of doubt where none should belong. It also proves that even in some of the direst of circumstances, love really CAN conquer all.
Knowing the author the little that I do, I’m almost certain that last one was the big ‘message’ she was hoping to get across with this book, and she did it beautifully.
I’m very saddened, yet in a light hearted way, to see this series come to an end. It has been a cornerstone of strength for me on many an occasion and I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be going back to its books for repeat performances and re-reads!
Maggie is a genius with the written word, truly did write vampires before vampires were cool, and has wrapped up Wings in the Night with a pretty blood red bow—a gift for any reader!
LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Twilight Fulfilled 4 ½ Skulls. We definitely recommend it for ALL Maggie Shayne fans, Urban Fantasy readers, Vampire lovers, and even Paranormal Romance addicts (though this installment was more about the story and tying up the series than the sex).
Three cheers for Maggie Shayne, Twilight Fulfilled, and the entire Wings in the Night series. You truly have been my Author Lifesaver…. :-)
September 21, 2011
Brigit Poe and her twin James, are the only ones of their kind. Part mortal, part vampire both having powers with one being a healer, and the other a destroyer. Brigit has always accepted that she was the evil twin and that her brother would be the savior. So imagine her surprise when a twist of fate happens making her the only one who can save her people, what little are left. Fierce with determination, she sets out to destroy the first of their kind, Utana, to stop his bloody rampage and destroy him at all costs. Things get a little tricky when she finds her heart softening towards him. She'll have to make the choice no woman should ever have to make. Her heart or the lives of her family, as to lose either might just break her.
I'll be honest that I was very skeptical at how realistic a relationship between Brigit and Utana could possibly be. There were so many things against them. The biggest being how unlikely it would be for Brigit to be able to forgive him for her family's deaths. How do you love someone that has taken so much from you. Another is that he is literally out of his mind from being captive in an unmovable state for thousands of years. I just wasn't sure how he could be capable of real love. However, after getting to see past the facade each of them wears on the surface, I realized there was so much more to both of them underneath than meets the eye. In fact they seemed to be the perfect complement to one another, making the romance very believable in the end.
I cannot imagine being having to grow up as Brigit has. While she had love an affection from her parents and her twin, the only other one of their family who treated her as more than a destroyer was her "Aunt" Rhiannon. Instead of acting like she was evil, Rhiannon helped her to embrace herself. I'm not sure how Brigit would have held up if not for this, as it was she still had a pretty hard heart. Well that is until she started falling for Utana. Of course that doesn't help her complex of feeling she is evil, falling for the immortal that killed so many of their race. I was very happy to see her finally stand up to the other's perceptions of her tell them they are wrong about her being evil. I think in time she will throw off the "chains" of those perceptions and be finally able to grow.
Twilight Fulfilled is to be the last installment in the Wings in the Night series. I feel things ended naturally and rather well. Of course I've only read the last two books in the series, so I am eager to go back to the beginning. I didn't have any problem jumping into the series with the 18th book, Twilight Prophecy, but I wouldn't recommend reading this one without reading that one first. While there was a focus change from one couple to the other, they still read like a continuation of the other rather than stand alone books. Twilight Fulfilled is a great finale to the series, that leaves you with a sense of completion, yet still leaves a little open for possibilities in the future. Perhaps someday Maggie Shayne will revisit this world, but for now I am very content with the way things have been left.
I'll be honest that I was very skeptical at how realistic a relationship between Brigit and Utana could possibly be. There were so many things against them. The biggest being how unlikely it would be for Brigit to be able to forgive him for her family's deaths. How do you love someone that has taken so much from you. Another is that he is literally out of his mind from being captive in an unmovable state for thousands of years. I just wasn't sure how he could be capable of real love. However, after getting to see past the facade each of them wears on the surface, I realized there was so much more to both of them underneath than meets the eye. In fact they seemed to be the perfect complement to one another, making the romance very believable in the end.
I cannot imagine being having to grow up as Brigit has. While she had love an affection from her parents and her twin, the only other one of their family who treated her as more than a destroyer was her "Aunt" Rhiannon. Instead of acting like she was evil, Rhiannon helped her to embrace herself. I'm not sure how Brigit would have held up if not for this, as it was she still had a pretty hard heart. Well that is until she started falling for Utana. Of course that doesn't help her complex of feeling she is evil, falling for the immortal that killed so many of their race. I was very happy to see her finally stand up to the other's perceptions of her tell them they are wrong about her being evil. I think in time she will throw off the "chains" of those perceptions and be finally able to grow.
Twilight Fulfilled is to be the last installment in the Wings in the Night series. I feel things ended naturally and rather well. Of course I've only read the last two books in the series, so I am eager to go back to the beginning. I didn't have any problem jumping into the series with the 18th book, Twilight Prophecy, but I wouldn't recommend reading this one without reading that one first. While there was a focus change from one couple to the other, they still read like a continuation of the other rather than stand alone books. Twilight Fulfilled is a great finale to the series, that leaves you with a sense of completion, yet still leaves a little open for possibilities in the future. Perhaps someday Maggie Shayne will revisit this world, but for now I am very content with the way things have been left.
September 27, 2011
The father of the vampire race has been resurrected with the hopes that he'll be able to save the vahmpeers or vampires. But Utanapushtim, or Utana - an ancient Sumerian king, has been buried for five thousand years and believes that if he kills all of the vampires he'll finally be able to rest and end the punishment of the gods. The only thing standing in his way is Brigit Poe in Twilight Fulfilled by Maggie Shayne.
Brigit has grown up believing that her gift reflects her dark nature and is destructive. She is able to kill with laser-like precision. Her twin brother James or J.W. has been gifted with healing. But James can no longer heal because after raising Utana, his gift of healing was absorbed by Utana. Since both Brigit and James aren't wholly human nor wholly vampire, they don't suffer many of the same limitations as true vampires. Brigit is off to hunt down Utana and kill him in order to save the few remaining vampires in the US.
Utana has a lot to learn about this modern world. He also has a lot to learn about modern women. Brigit impresses him with her skills and fortitude. Brigit also has a lot to learn about Utana. She comes to understand that he is not the bogeyman her people believe him to be. She also knows that he is being used by the government in their efforts to eradicate the vampire problem. If that isn't enough to deal with, the government is also secretly holding all of "the chosen" (those with the Belladonna antigen in their blood and capable of becoming vampire) hostage in a secure, central location under the guise of protecting them from harm. Both Utana and Brigit realize that this is an elaborate trap to attract the remaining vampires and kill them all at once. Will she and Utana be able to stop the government before it’s too late? Will she be able to convince the remaining vampires that Utana isn't their enemy before they carry out their plan to bury him again?
When I first started reading Twilight Fulfilled I immediately thought "oh no, another vampire series." Admittedly I hadn't read any of the preceding books but I had grown weary of the entire vampire-paranormal scenario. Although Twilight Fulfilled used elements seen in other stories (the Blade III movie sees the father of vampires being resurrected with hopes of saving if not strengthening the vampire race), the story reads as original and refreshing. Brigit is a strong and formidable woman with a certain frailty that she fights hard to shield. Brigit and Utana complement one another as a couple and help each other overcome their weaknesses and shortsightedness. I'm sure reading the previous books in this series may have helped to better understand the vampire family dynamics, but it is possible to read this without any prior series knowledge. Ms. Shayne has provided a fast-paced, paranormal romance that enchants from beginning to end.
Brigit has grown up believing that her gift reflects her dark nature and is destructive. She is able to kill with laser-like precision. Her twin brother James or J.W. has been gifted with healing. But James can no longer heal because after raising Utana, his gift of healing was absorbed by Utana. Since both Brigit and James aren't wholly human nor wholly vampire, they don't suffer many of the same limitations as true vampires. Brigit is off to hunt down Utana and kill him in order to save the few remaining vampires in the US.
Utana has a lot to learn about this modern world. He also has a lot to learn about modern women. Brigit impresses him with her skills and fortitude. Brigit also has a lot to learn about Utana. She comes to understand that he is not the bogeyman her people believe him to be. She also knows that he is being used by the government in their efforts to eradicate the vampire problem. If that isn't enough to deal with, the government is also secretly holding all of "the chosen" (those with the Belladonna antigen in their blood and capable of becoming vampire) hostage in a secure, central location under the guise of protecting them from harm. Both Utana and Brigit realize that this is an elaborate trap to attract the remaining vampires and kill them all at once. Will she and Utana be able to stop the government before it’s too late? Will she be able to convince the remaining vampires that Utana isn't their enemy before they carry out their plan to bury him again?
When I first started reading Twilight Fulfilled I immediately thought "oh no, another vampire series." Admittedly I hadn't read any of the preceding books but I had grown weary of the entire vampire-paranormal scenario. Although Twilight Fulfilled used elements seen in other stories (the Blade III movie sees the father of vampires being resurrected with hopes of saving if not strengthening the vampire race), the story reads as original and refreshing. Brigit is a strong and formidable woman with a certain frailty that she fights hard to shield. Brigit and Utana complement one another as a couple and help each other overcome their weaknesses and shortsightedness. I'm sure reading the previous books in this series may have helped to better understand the vampire family dynamics, but it is possible to read this without any prior series knowledge. Ms. Shayne has provided a fast-paced, paranormal romance that enchants from beginning to end.
August 26, 2011
This review was posted at Under The Covers
If you know me, you know I'm pretty much OCD about reading a series in order, most of the time that includes prequels and short stories. At least I try as much as possible. But I'm sad to say Wings in the Night has been the one series I haven't done that. I picked up books 13, 14 and 15 (without knowing they were part of a bigger series) because they were available at the time on audio. I thought they were pretty good and had a fairly decent storyline. Then I find out there's MORE as in A LOT MORE books!
So one day I'll go back and try to catch up with all the books I've missed. But for now I had the oppotunity to read this book and I have to say I'm glad I did! It was really, really good! And from what I remember of the stories in the books I read, I was not too lost following this story.
Basically the concept is an immortal was risen to kill all vampires! Utana was trapped for about 5000 years and he believes the Gods have assigned him with the mission of exterminating all vampires using his powers. James is the 1/4 vampire Chosen that raises him, and his twin sister Brigit is now sent to kill him and prevent the destruction of their people. But now it's not just him, and his appointed mission, the government wants to use him as a weapon in their efforts to get rid of vampires.
Of course what has to happen is that cute caveman-like Utana and 1/4 vampire Brigit, who should be enemies, fall in love, or is lust, at first sight.
Utana is soooo adorable, trying to learn english at a rapid rate, and learning how things work by just touching them and trying to drive Brigit's car. He feels a connection to her instantly and wants to do what's possible to spare at least her life.
Brigit can't bring herself to kill him, even when she has a chance. But she slowly starts believing there's hope that she can show him there's another way. But she might have to go against her family to do that.
At the beginning I was a bit confused because every few pages we were switching to someone else's POV, I almost couldn't figure out who the book was about. But once the plot was set up and the story progressed, it was written very well and covered all bases.
I did notice the appearance of a character I enjoyed in the books I did read, Roxy, the oldest Chosen alive, she's such a cool chick! The Chosen are humans who have the Belladonna antigen that allows them to turn into vampires. In general, vampires are compelled to protect the Chosen and they can feel their pain and distress. But the Chosen are now being used to attract all vampires to their death!
This book had enough action, humor and sexiness to keep me very interested! I would definetely recommend it!
If you know me, you know I'm pretty much OCD about reading a series in order, most of the time that includes prequels and short stories. At least I try as much as possible. But I'm sad to say Wings in the Night has been the one series I haven't done that. I picked up books 13, 14 and 15 (without knowing they were part of a bigger series) because they were available at the time on audio. I thought they were pretty good and had a fairly decent storyline. Then I find out there's MORE as in A LOT MORE books!
So one day I'll go back and try to catch up with all the books I've missed. But for now I had the oppotunity to read this book and I have to say I'm glad I did! It was really, really good! And from what I remember of the stories in the books I read, I was not too lost following this story.
Basically the concept is an immortal was risen to kill all vampires! Utana was trapped for about 5000 years and he believes the Gods have assigned him with the mission of exterminating all vampires using his powers. James is the 1/4 vampire Chosen that raises him, and his twin sister Brigit is now sent to kill him and prevent the destruction of their people. But now it's not just him, and his appointed mission, the government wants to use him as a weapon in their efforts to get rid of vampires.
Of course what has to happen is that cute caveman-like Utana and 1/4 vampire Brigit, who should be enemies, fall in love, or is lust, at first sight.
Utana is soooo adorable, trying to learn english at a rapid rate, and learning how things work by just touching them and trying to drive Brigit's car. He feels a connection to her instantly and wants to do what's possible to spare at least her life.
Brigit can't bring herself to kill him, even when she has a chance. But she slowly starts believing there's hope that she can show him there's another way. But she might have to go against her family to do that.
At the beginning I was a bit confused because every few pages we were switching to someone else's POV, I almost couldn't figure out who the book was about. But once the plot was set up and the story progressed, it was written very well and covered all bases.
I did notice the appearance of a character I enjoyed in the books I did read, Roxy, the oldest Chosen alive, she's such a cool chick! The Chosen are humans who have the Belladonna antigen that allows them to turn into vampires. In general, vampires are compelled to protect the Chosen and they can feel their pain and distress. But the Chosen are now being used to attract all vampires to their death!
This book had enough action, humor and sexiness to keep me very interested! I would definetely recommend it!
September 11, 2011
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I have got to go back and read the early books in Maggie Shayne's Wings of the Night series. I came to the party late, with Twilight Prophecy --and I really enjoyed it. Now, this book picks up right where that one left off... dropping us right back into the action.
Now that vampires have been revealed to humanity, they are becoming targets for extinction. Human vigilantes are burning them out of their homes and killing them in their sleep. And if that's not bad enough, the world's first immortal is targeting them as well. Half-breed vampire James resurrected Utana in the last book, trying to fulfill a prophecy that said he could save their race. But Utana has gone mad from thousands of years with his consciousness trapped in the ashes of his body. He thinks his agony was a punishment from the gods for starting the vampire race. And to atone, he thinks he must eradicate his creation from the face of the earth.
The surviving vampires send James' twin, Brigit, to face him. She shares the same destructive powers as Utana and if anyone can stop his murderous rampage, she can. But when Brigit and Utana face off, they quickly realize there is an undeniable connection between the two of them. Each believes they need to kill the other, but neither can follow through. Their first battle ends with them in each other's arms and the pull between them only gets stronger as time goes by. Eventually Brigit's mission changes in her own mind. Instead of trying to kill Utana, she needs to find a way to help his mind heal and convince him to change his plans to kill her kind.
I really enjoyed watching the romance unfold between Brigit and Utana. Brigit has spent her whole life feeling less than her brethren. But with Utana, she has finally found the place where she belongs. The love scenes are great, but the romance is even better! It is a kind of "love at first sight" thing, which I'm not a fan of, but I can live with it, if I tell myself it's a vamp thing.
The plot was fast moving and the book, action packed. Like in Twilight Prophecy, there were appearances from characters featured in previous books in the series... which I'm sure will give a thrill for longtime fans. I think this book will be better to those of us who read the book immediately before, but the world building is simple and easy to understand for new readers. I liked it alot. 4 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
Now that vampires have been revealed to humanity, they are becoming targets for extinction. Human vigilantes are burning them out of their homes and killing them in their sleep. And if that's not bad enough, the world's first immortal is targeting them as well. Half-breed vampire James resurrected Utana in the last book, trying to fulfill a prophecy that said he could save their race. But Utana has gone mad from thousands of years with his consciousness trapped in the ashes of his body. He thinks his agony was a punishment from the gods for starting the vampire race. And to atone, he thinks he must eradicate his creation from the face of the earth.
The surviving vampires send James' twin, Brigit, to face him. She shares the same destructive powers as Utana and if anyone can stop his murderous rampage, she can. But when Brigit and Utana face off, they quickly realize there is an undeniable connection between the two of them. Each believes they need to kill the other, but neither can follow through. Their first battle ends with them in each other's arms and the pull between them only gets stronger as time goes by. Eventually Brigit's mission changes in her own mind. Instead of trying to kill Utana, she needs to find a way to help his mind heal and convince him to change his plans to kill her kind.
I really enjoyed watching the romance unfold between Brigit and Utana. Brigit has spent her whole life feeling less than her brethren. But with Utana, she has finally found the place where she belongs. The love scenes are great, but the romance is even better! It is a kind of "love at first sight" thing, which I'm not a fan of, but I can live with it, if I tell myself it's a vamp thing.
The plot was fast moving and the book, action packed. Like in Twilight Prophecy, there were appearances from characters featured in previous books in the series... which I'm sure will give a thrill for longtime fans. I think this book will be better to those of us who read the book immediately before, but the world building is simple and easy to understand for new readers. I liked it alot. 4 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
October 1, 2011
Favorite Lines: "Of my entire race, I'm the least worthy. I'm the evil one, the destroyer, or at least I was. I'm the first one you ought to murder, Utana, because I swear to God, if you let me live I will kill you. I'll find a way." (p. 144, egalley)
Twilight Fulfilled is part two of Maggie Shayne's Children of Twilight series. The first book is called--wait for it--Twilight Prophecy. It seems to conclude Shayne's Wings of the Night series which began in the early 90s and was reissued in 2010. I haven't read the series in years, but I recognized several of the characters mentioned. While those who read the first book of the Children of Twilight series may have a leg up, as far as knowing exactly what is happening from the start. I feel that I got the better end of the deal because I hadn't been preconditioned to think poorly of the heroine. The heroine who is continually thinking about how she is the dark, deadly and evil twin.
Twilight Fulfilled is told in the third person, in a world which evolved over the course of 18 books. It begins with a funeral and the back story is immediately told. The father of all vampires is alive and feeling guilty. He is out to wipe his progeny off the face of the earth. He is also creating quite a problem in front of humanity. He is god-like and seeking redemption. I understood his motivations and wanted him to be happy after years of being tortured.
The woman sent to save the vampires is Brigit. She constantly thinks about the darkness her family associates with her and almost believes she isn't worthy of a happily ever after, which of course makes me want one for her. Despite having two characters whom I liked, I was slightly underwhelmed by the entire book. I kept feeling like, "okay, this is where I'll get sucked in" only to be disappointed. I never became invested in the story.
It was a nice distraction, but nothing that makes me want to revisit the world or seek out previous books. My biggest problem with the book was with its predictability. Nothing surprised me. Nor did anything stand out to place the book above other vampire novels on the market. It was a book. The end. I have a feeling, however, that fans of the series will adore Twilight Fulfilled as it concludes a series which evolved over many years.
Scooper Speaks
Twilight Fulfilled is part two of Maggie Shayne's Children of Twilight series. The first book is called--wait for it--Twilight Prophecy. It seems to conclude Shayne's Wings of the Night series which began in the early 90s and was reissued in 2010. I haven't read the series in years, but I recognized several of the characters mentioned. While those who read the first book of the Children of Twilight series may have a leg up, as far as knowing exactly what is happening from the start. I feel that I got the better end of the deal because I hadn't been preconditioned to think poorly of the heroine. The heroine who is continually thinking about how she is the dark, deadly and evil twin.
Twilight Fulfilled is told in the third person, in a world which evolved over the course of 18 books. It begins with a funeral and the back story is immediately told. The father of all vampires is alive and feeling guilty. He is out to wipe his progeny off the face of the earth. He is also creating quite a problem in front of humanity. He is god-like and seeking redemption. I understood his motivations and wanted him to be happy after years of being tortured.
The woman sent to save the vampires is Brigit. She constantly thinks about the darkness her family associates with her and almost believes she isn't worthy of a happily ever after, which of course makes me want one for her. Despite having two characters whom I liked, I was slightly underwhelmed by the entire book. I kept feeling like, "okay, this is where I'll get sucked in" only to be disappointed. I never became invested in the story.
It was a nice distraction, but nothing that makes me want to revisit the world or seek out previous books. My biggest problem with the book was with its predictability. Nothing surprised me. Nor did anything stand out to place the book above other vampire novels on the market. It was a book. The end. I have a feeling, however, that fans of the series will adore Twilight Fulfilled as it concludes a series which evolved over many years.
Scooper Speaks
November 22, 2011
Twilight Fullfilled follows Brigit Poe, one of two human/vampire hybrids, as she ventures off on her own to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Her mission is to kill the Great King Utana, creator of the immortal vampire race, and ultimately, save her people from his wrath.
Utana is on a mission to destroy the very race he created.
His immortality was bestowed upon him by the gods with one condition. He could never share it with anyone else. He disobeyed them, sharing his gift and now, feels he's been punished after being imprisoned for thousands of years. The only way to right his transgression is to obliterate the race he'd created.
Will Brigit be able to stop him before he eradicates her people or will they perhaps find a common ground in the form of love?
That I will not answer, I don't do spoilers in my reviews, but I will say, things get a little complicated when a government plot is found brewing. A plot to rid the world of Vampires; and the government wants to use Utana as the perfect weapon to enact their plans.
Now, I read this book a while back and just completely failed when it came to reviewing it, but better late than never, some may say! Especially since the edition I read was an electronic galley, provided to me by the publisher specifically for the purpose of reviewing.
When beginning this book, I quickly realized it was a part of the series and upon research, I found that it was the eighteenth book in it; however, given I'd read none of the other books, I didn't feel at all like I was missing anything.
In my opinion, Maggie Shayne did a wonderful job of filling in the blanks, but she did it in a way that sort of left me yearning for more.
The side characters -- whom we only get small glimpses of in this book, but are featured in the other books -- are so incredibly interesting and the small glimpses I got of them while reading this book left me wanting to know their stories just as much as Brigit's.
From very early on in the book, upon Brigit and Utana's first meeting, I found myself rooting for them to find away around their conundrum -- killing each other, despite the odds against them. I found the chemistry between them, perfect. They really were two halves that made the most perfect whole, in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would totally recommend it.
Utana is on a mission to destroy the very race he created.
His immortality was bestowed upon him by the gods with one condition. He could never share it with anyone else. He disobeyed them, sharing his gift and now, feels he's been punished after being imprisoned for thousands of years. The only way to right his transgression is to obliterate the race he'd created.
Will Brigit be able to stop him before he eradicates her people or will they perhaps find a common ground in the form of love?
That I will not answer, I don't do spoilers in my reviews, but I will say, things get a little complicated when a government plot is found brewing. A plot to rid the world of Vampires; and the government wants to use Utana as the perfect weapon to enact their plans.
Now, I read this book a while back and just completely failed when it came to reviewing it, but better late than never, some may say! Especially since the edition I read was an electronic galley, provided to me by the publisher specifically for the purpose of reviewing.
When beginning this book, I quickly realized it was a part of the series and upon research, I found that it was the eighteenth book in it; however, given I'd read none of the other books, I didn't feel at all like I was missing anything.
In my opinion, Maggie Shayne did a wonderful job of filling in the blanks, but she did it in a way that sort of left me yearning for more.
The side characters -- whom we only get small glimpses of in this book, but are featured in the other books -- are so incredibly interesting and the small glimpses I got of them while reading this book left me wanting to know their stories just as much as Brigit's.
From very early on in the book, upon Brigit and Utana's first meeting, I found myself rooting for them to find away around their conundrum -- killing each other, despite the odds against them. I found the chemistry between them, perfect. They really were two halves that made the most perfect whole, in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would totally recommend it.
July 22, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011Review: Twilight Fulfilled by Maggie Shayne
4 STARS
I really enjoy Maggie Shayne series twilight. I think I have read all of them. The last two are of Children of Twilight. The only child to be born of vampire was Amber lee and she had twins J.W. (James) and Brigit. Who were born with special powers. J.w. right after birth healed Brigit who was born not breathing. Brigit has power to destroy shoots a lazer from her eyes. She is known as the bad twin.
James had raised up from ashes the imortale Utana who was trapped for 5000 years, thinking he was the one to save the vampires from being wiped out. Utana actually thought he was supposed to kill all of his children the vampire because he was not supposed to share his power.
Utana stole James power to heal. He also killed many vampires. At same time it was made known about the vampire race and a lot of vampires houses and some humans were burned and died.
Brigit knew that her power was the only one that could stop Utana and she battled him till they both could not fight any more that night. Utana was wounded but stole her power. Brigit was drawn to know more about Utana and was attracted to him.
Nashmum was head of the goverment agency that has been for years killing and torchering the vampires and expermenting on them which is how Amber Lee was born. He was tricking Utana and wanted to help him kill all the vampires and the chosen people his agency had rounded up to trap the vampires.
The only problem that I had with the story is Utana was supposed to be the flood survior who took his family and animals on a boat. I was a little touchy about that.Decided to not think he was Noah just someone made up from that time frame.
I enjoyed the story and wonder if Maggie has finshed this series or where would it take them next book.
I was given the ebook in exchange of honest review.
Its release sept. 29, 2011 from Mira Books
4 STARS
I really enjoy Maggie Shayne series twilight. I think I have read all of them. The last two are of Children of Twilight. The only child to be born of vampire was Amber lee and she had twins J.W. (James) and Brigit. Who were born with special powers. J.w. right after birth healed Brigit who was born not breathing. Brigit has power to destroy shoots a lazer from her eyes. She is known as the bad twin.
James had raised up from ashes the imortale Utana who was trapped for 5000 years, thinking he was the one to save the vampires from being wiped out. Utana actually thought he was supposed to kill all of his children the vampire because he was not supposed to share his power.
Utana stole James power to heal. He also killed many vampires. At same time it was made known about the vampire race and a lot of vampires houses and some humans were burned and died.
Brigit knew that her power was the only one that could stop Utana and she battled him till they both could not fight any more that night. Utana was wounded but stole her power. Brigit was drawn to know more about Utana and was attracted to him.
Nashmum was head of the goverment agency that has been for years killing and torchering the vampires and expermenting on them which is how Amber Lee was born. He was tricking Utana and wanted to help him kill all the vampires and the chosen people his agency had rounded up to trap the vampires.
The only problem that I had with the story is Utana was supposed to be the flood survior who took his family and animals on a boat. I was a little touchy about that.Decided to not think he was Noah just someone made up from that time frame.
I enjoyed the story and wonder if Maggie has finshed this series or where would it take them next book.
I was given the ebook in exchange of honest review.
Its release sept. 29, 2011 from Mira Books
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