Cover: I liked the cover, but the tear looks sort of blue to me and that's sort of weird.Title: Infinite Days
Series: Vampire Queen #1
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Genre: YA - Paranormal/Fantasy
Publication: 08.03.2010 by St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 310
Source: Library
Summary: Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.
Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?
Thoughts: I hadn't read a vampire book in a while and I picked up Infinite Days at the same time I picked up Dead Until Dark. Both books are totally different, and I am not going to try and compare them, I just wanted to mention that I still love vampire books; they have not gotten old for me at all. Anyways, I wasn't too sure what to expect when I picked up Infinite Days, since it's been several months since its release date and I sort of forgot what it was about. It was not what I expected, and I am glad it did not leave me disappointed.
Lenah Beaudonte has been a vampire queen for many years (several hundred, more or less) but now, with the help of her lover, she is once again a human girl, only sixteen years old and pretty much alone in the world. Not only must she learn to live in today's society, but she must also be cautious, for her coven will come searching for her when they find she is missing and when they see that she is no longer a vampire queen...well things won't be pretty. She is a great character, and definitely likable. I was able to quickly connect with her and since she is from a different century, it was apparent how difficult it was going to be for her to fit in.
The author does a great job providing the reader with a visual on what Lenah's life was like when she was a vampire, and every once in a while, we get a flashback. I loved that Lenah was such an a great (and heartless) vampire, but instead of making it difficult to like her, it made me more understanding of her struggles as a human. She instantly bonds with Tony, a sweet artist who quickly became one of my favorite characters. The writing is definitely the best part and I was able to enjoy both the story and each character individually. The premise was unique and I was glad to see the way the author connected the past and present, while providing a very interesting story that I couldn't put down.
I must admit though that the romance was probably my least favorite part. I found Lenah's relationship with Justin shallow and sort of flat. For some reason, I found it hard to like Justin at all and never really "fell in love" with him as I hoped I would. I am sure he was a great looking guy and helps Lenah "feel alive" but that didn't cut it for me. I wasn't too enthusiastic about their relationship working out or continuing and hoped for most of the book that she'd end up with...someone else.
This is absolutely a great book to pick up if you haven't read it yet; especially if you have been disappointed with vampire books lately. Infinite Days provides a unique and well written story that YA lovers will really take pleasure in. And it will leave you wanting more. I can't wait to read the next one because the ending left me open-mouthed and full of questions!
Favorite Quote: "It's amazing what you can convince yourself when you want to hide from the truth."
3 comments
I'm basically with you on this. I loved the vampire part. The mythology, the darkness, the violence. Hated the romance and the flatness of her schoolmates. It was too stereotyped.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for Stolen Nights, especially after the way Infinite Days ended *gasp*
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it too!
♥Isalys
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