Reckoning, by Lili St. Crow
Reckoning, by Lili St. Crow
Book 5 – Strange Angel Series
Reviewed by Saluki
If you have been keeping up with my book reviews, you know that I’ve had mixed feelings about this series. There has been enough to keep me interested in the books to keep me wanting to read them, but the series has also provided me more than a few moments of frustration. So, it was with both eagerness and a healthy dose of trepidation that I started the finale to the series. Like past books, Reckoning was filled with action, angst, and intrigue. After finishing the book I can easily say it is my favorite so far, although the ending was a little disappointing. There will be some spoilers ahead, so please read with caution.
The main character of the book, Dru, has finally bloomed into a Svotchka and has fully developed all of the skills and powers that have been hinted at in previous books. However, instead of being safe and protected at the Schola, Dru is on the run with Graves and Ash. After rescuing Graves from the powerful vampire Sergej, she decides that they are better off on their own. So, she steals a car and heads towards the one place she thinks they will be safe – at least for a little while. Of course, Dru’s good intentions leads to danger for everyone and causes her to face the biggest challenge of her life.
The book starts out slow, but the pace quickly picks up as Dru is forced on the run after being discovered by vampires. I think the author does a very good job of matching the frantic pace of the action to Dru’s mental state. She is exhausted, yet wired as she knows she is fighting not just for her life, but for the people she has grown to care about as well. You can really feel that she is on the edge as each day brings a new threat. I love ass-kicking Dru, and this book delivers. With the full development of her powers, Dru is faster, stronger, and more fearless than ever. If you like books with female characters who aren’t afraid to get down and dirty, this series is definitely for you.
Over the course of the series, the author has slowly developed a love triangle between Dru, Graves and Christophe. In this installment, Graves and Christophe finally lay all their cards on the table, revealing the depth of their feelings for Dru. The romantic tension provided much needed relief to the crazy pace of the book and allowed the reader to see a different side Graves and Christophe.The one complaint I have is that we don’t get any resolution on who Dru ends up with in the end. Although she declares her feelings for Graves, the idea that she has unresolved feelings for Christophe never goes away. I definitely felt a bit empty when I finished the book not knowing how and if the love triangle between these characters.
One thing I want to see in a series is progressive character development, and I think the author delivers in this series. Graves in particular shows so much growth that I really wish this wasn’t the last book in the series. I think there is so much to explore with him and it is a shame we won’t see how he resolves the lingering issues from his childhood and his time in captivity with Sergej, not to mention if he is going to get the girl. I also loved seeing how far Dru had come over the course of the series. She started out as a lone with an incredible stubborn streak; tough and independent were badges of honor she wore with pride. However, in Reckoning, Dru finally starts to see herself as part of a family and allows herself to trust in the people around her. And although she is still stubborn, it is tempered with the maturity to realize that there is a time to admit when she needs to ask for help. She is also finally able to tell Graves and Christophe her feelings – the good and the bad – instead of shutting down or giving a snippy reply. As with Graves, I wish this wasn’t the end of Dru’s story because I would love to see more of this more mature, centered character.
While the final showdown with Sergej is well-done, the ending is definitely not what I was expecting. The epilogue didn’t provide the sort of closure I was hoping for, particularly as it relates to the love triangle. But, I can respect the author for writing the ending that she felt was right for her characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the fast-paced plot, intriguing romance, complicated heroine and strong supporting characters. I give Reckoning 3.5 out of five moons.
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