Taken by Midnight by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4 1/2 stars
I was given this as an ARC by Lara, I’m really sorry it wasn’t up sooner.
I love Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series. I’d definitely rate them as one of my favorite paranormal series of all time. My only complaint, and this is why it wasn’t a 5 star review, is that I expected more out of Jenna. She went up against an ancient for Pete’s sake! And yet she bailed on the Order and her bff Alex at the first chance she got.
At the end of Shades of Midnight Jenna had been unconscious and speaking in the ancient’s native language. Brock was there with her, and immediately felt something pull him towards Jenna.
I’ve loved Brock since he and Kade first came on board, in fact I just love how he’s from Detroit, lives in Boston now, and just hates the cold weather! Cracks me up every time!
When Taken by Midnight begins, we see Jenna waking from a week long coma and feeling better than she should, at least physically. Emotionally she’s a wreck. And she wants to go back to Alaska. What bothered me with the beginning was that Alex should have been more straightforward and stopped trying to handle Jenna with kid gloves. Jenna needed to be told the truth up front. But because everyone danced around the issues, when Alex finally tells Jenna what’s going on, Jenna panics, and runs.
It is understandable, truly. I mean if I’d been held by an ancient alien and he’d put some foreign matter in my spine that was now changing my DNA, and then I’d been told that I couldn’t leave the compound that was full of vampires, I probably would have freaked out too! In fact, I think in that situation, you’re allowed to have a panic attack. BUT, and this was my problem with Jenna, she’s an ex-cop. She’s also with her best friend. Her very happy best friend who knows a lot about what’s going on. Why on earth would she take off into unfamiliar territory on foot, and then hitch a ride with some smelly freaks in a catering van? She definitely wasn’t thinking, because that was just out of character for the ex-cop.
Once she was rescued from the creeps in the van, because don’t you know you’re not supposed to hitchhike? Of course they were creeps! So, once she was rescued, and Brock took her back to the Compound, she realizes her rookie mistake, but then still plans to leave as soon as she can! This was a big section of the book, which is why it bugged me so. I really expected more out of Jenna, especially once she accepted the changes she was going through.
After she realizes the idiocy in that plan, then the book really picks up. I won’t spoil the plot, but let’s just say that Dragos was dealt a huge blow at the end of Shades of Midnight, but obviously not devastating enough because he is just the ultimate bad guy. And his evil plots are pretty darn good. Every time I thought I’d figured out a part of one plot, something new would come up.
I am just dying to know what Lara Adrian has planned for us with Dragos still on the loose. Hunter’s book can’t come soon enough for me!
I think the relationship between Brock and Jenna was great, and when this big giant wrench is thrown into their relationship, I was not only shocked, but proud of how Brock handled it, and proud of Jenna at that point of how she dealt with said “wrench.”
I also think that Brock and Jenna were good together, and good for each other. The ending was left open as far as what will happen with Dragos, the Enforcement Agency, and some humans in high ranking positions.
I was blown away by what’s going on with the Enforcement Agency, and I really hope that Chase can pull himself together and do something heroic in the next book. He’s one of my favorite characters, and I really hope he gets more face time.
So anyone who’s a fan of the Breed will love this book, I did, and it was really intriguing to see what Jenna is becoming. In fact, I hope we get to see more of her throughout the series, because she has potential galore. I want to see her come into whoever/whatever it is she is becoming. Very intriguing possibilities there.
Jenna and Brock are so great together. Definitely one of my favorite pairs of the series. Great review 🙂
Stephanie G
Paranormal Haven
I haven’t read any of her books, which suddenly makes me feel ashamed because this series sounds kickass!
thanks Paranormal Haven! 🙂 they were a great couple, weren’t they?
Yliektra- the series is fantastic! Kelly, the demon lover herself, actually has the Breedmate mark tattoo’d on her neck..it turned out AWESOME!
If I can find the link, I’ll post it! 🙂