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A guardian angel joins forces with an unusually humane vampire and a host of shape-shifters in this appealing melding of characters from Smith's earlier novels, Tantalize (2007) and Eternal (2009). The friendship that develops between the newly undead Quincey, out to save a group of people cursed to become bloodsuckers, and roguish angel Zachary is sweetly convincing and filled with witty dialogue. It's so flip and contemporary—"I mean, I'm your guardian angel...Middle management didn't bother to float me a background file or anything so I'm having to sort of wing this. No pun intended"—readers may at first wonder if their relationship is developing into a romance. However, this notion will be dismissed with the return of Quincie's werewolf boyfriend, Kieran, and the pages fairly smolder in describing their attraction to one another. Adding texture to the narrative are plentiful allusions to Bram Stoker's Dracula. While the novel takes its time getting started, readers who have read the first two will again be pulled into this wild and ultimately fascinating, if at times grisly, alternate universe. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)
This was a satisfying ending the the trilogy. It wasn't as good as Eternal, but I liked it a lot more that I liked Tantalize. The mesh of characters was a little odd at first, but it worked better than I thought it would.
Quincie's character was so much better in this one. She's accepted that she's a vampire, but it doing her best to not become a monster. Plus, she's working her hardest to come up with a cure for those Bradley "blessed" while he was the chief of her restaurant. Zachary was a little off for me, but I think it's because I think he had a better connection with Miranda. He just seems like a background character. The rest of the cast fill out the story nicely.
I liked the action and pace in this story. I love the inclusions of Dracula and some myths involving him. Interesting idea that Dracula could be alive and well in this story. While the part with the wolves was a bit gory, I think it was a highlight of the story. I also really enjoyed the ending. It concluded all the storylines and left me happy with the way the story ended. I'll be looking forward to see what the author comes up with next!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 13, 2012
This book is so good ! I rate this book 5 stars because this book is funny teaches you about all kinds of kids or adults that are vampires. Sooo those who didnt read this read this . Its good for all students 7th - college . This book is good . Soo read it or I will be mad at all of you get it. Bye hahaha
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 7, 2012
No el potato
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Smith made it surprisingly easy to jump in right where Tantalize left off. You'd think with the story in-between and the entirely different cast of characters things could get confusing, but the way it's all written leaves no room at all for you to be confused. I automatically realized and accepted that Tantalize and Eternal happened at the same time and that Blessed is the after.
Who would have thought I'd go from complaining about the characters in Tantalize to praising the ones in Eternal and then practically drooling when they all came together in Blessed? I can't tell whether the story has grown on me with every book or whether the writing has just gotten better.
I had a mix of feelings before reading this book about all the characters from both books meeting up in Blessed. Because it could have gone bad pretty fast or it could've been really good. I personally think it was really good and I have to note that I think Smith really knows how to tie up a series.
Throughout the series I've gotten the gist of what the author was trying to portray with the subtle hints of Dracula, but in Blessed you can't ignore where the inspiration for the series came from. I guess you'd have had to watch one of the original Dracula movies or read the book to really get it, so after reading this series (and being a big fan of the Drac-man) I would really suggest watching one of the movies or reading the book, it'll really give you a great sense of what the author was saying.
Cynthia Leitich Smith returns to her Dark Universe Series with Blessed the third and possibly last installment. Blessed brings us full circle and we are reunited with the original heroine and characters from Tantalize. Fans of Alex Flinn and her modern retellings of classic fairy tales like Beastly will enjoy Smith's contemporary take of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Quincie, Our favorite teenage vampire restaurateur is learning to balance her new secret undead lifestyle with her old pre-death life. We pick up right after the end of Tantalize, Kieren is off to live with the pack, her uncle, guardian, and last living relative has met his true death. Her vampire sire Bradley Sanguini is gone leaving holes in her staff, and the weight of his world dominating plans on her shoulders. Quincie has some challenges ahead while she works to reopen Sanguini's, combat the potential fallout from the baby squirrel eaters, and maintaining her new dietary needs from Kieren's family. Fortunately Quincie has an angel on her side. Eternal's Zachary and a few of his cohorts join the fray and the wait staff to give Quincie the edge she's gonna need to overcome Brad's latest evil plans and Dracula Prime. It's the ultimate battle of good vs evil and the powers that be have Quincie playing an important role. What's left of her soul is at stake, and the redemption of Brad's victims.
Blessed is a highly entertaining book. Like Tantalize Blessed is outlined using the concept of a menu, which I found to be a quirky and a fresh take on creating a framework for the story. I like the merging of the two previous books and characters and how they combined to remake a classic. But the lull in release dates, prompts me to recommend rereading the Tantalize and Eternal before Blessed. I while I remembered Tantalized and recalled more as the book went on, I had a really hard time recalling Eternal. The two years in between really took their toll. Overall I think this book was great fans of the first two won't be disappointed. Though I think the story arc has come to an end, like the short provided at the end of Blessed, I hope Smith continues to write in her Dark Universe.
Codiferson
Posted March 31, 2011
it was a great book, especially encompassing two of her books into one. although i was parched of satisfaction when i read the ending it was a great book :)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Khadija32
Posted February 14, 2011
Smith made it surprisingly easy to jump in right where Tantalize left off. You'd think with the story in-between and the entirely different cast of characters things could get confusing, but the way it's all written leaves no room at all for you to be confused. I automatically realized and accepted that Tantalize and Eternal happened at the same time and that Blessed is the after.
Who would have thought I'd go from complaining about the characters in Tantalize to praising the ones in Eternal and then practically drooling when they all came together in Blessed? I can't tell whether the story has grown on me with every book or whether the writing has just gotten better.
I had a mix of feelings before reading this book about all the characters from both books meeting up in Blessed. Because it could have gone bad pretty fast or it could've been really good. I personally think it was really good and I have to note that I think Smith really knows how to tie up a series.
Throughout the series I've gotten the gist of what the author was trying to portray with the subtle hints of Dracula, but in Blessed you can't ignore where the inspiration for the series came from. I guess you'd have had to watch one of the original Dracula movies or read the book to really get it, so after reading this series (and being a big fan of the Drac-man) I would really suggest watching one of the movies or reading the book, it'll really give you a great sense of what the author was saying.
This series takes you on a ride, it might have started out bumpy but it is unique and different and in a YA world filled with paranormal books, this series stands out. Not because everyone will love it, it's not something you immediately get while reading it, but it's the subtle way it all comes across that makes this series unique.
BLESSED, by Cynthia Leitich Smith finishes up Quincie P. Morris's story with a bang. Quince faces more obstacles than ever with making sure the restaurant she inherited stays up and running, dealing with her werewolf true love being gone, trying to find a way to save a group of humans from turning into bloodsucking monsters, all while dealing with her own undead status.
This book drove me absolutely crazy. It took me longer to read than the first two books in the Tantalize series and I couldn't get really interested in it until towards the end. Don't get me wrong, the book was great all around but about three quarters of the book was very slow.
I have to admire Quincie, she takes on so much responsibility without much complaining. Both her parents are dead, her undead uncle is eternally dead and she still has school, her restaurant, and herself being a new vampire without anyone to guide her or help her. A lot of new characters came into play in this one, and a lot of old ones.
Smith weaved Eternal, the second book in the Tantalize series, perfectly into Blessed. I was amazed at how perfectly she brought the MC from Eternal, which is a completely different story than Quincie's into this one. It was absolutely perfect. The book was well written and I did like the book overall, it was just a bit slow for my tastes for the majority of the book.
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Posted March 29, 2011
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Overview
Quincie P. Morris, teen restaurateuse and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life -- or undeath. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents' restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her wait staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature -- and a flaming sword -- and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it's too late. Even if