Customer Reviews

Ashes of Midnight (Lara Adrian Vampire series, 6th)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

What a disappointment! I loved Andreas from the other books but this story left a lot to be desired.

I'm sorry for spoilers, but I have to do it. There were so many problems with this book, it's hard to even outline them all. I only give it two stars because it's part of a series that has some really good stuff. Otherwise it might even have been a DNF.

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SPOILERS FOLLOW

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Okay, first of all -- the heroine supposedly blood-bonded with the villain months after the hero disappeared from her life (about 30 years ago). The villain is a true monster, although the heroine doesn't actually know that. She only knows he's a jerk who never sees her but about once every six months. But my question is, why in the world, when you know the man you love is still alive, do you blood bond with someone you don't love at all? Someone who may be a friend, but who definitely isn't the one you love? Blood bonding is forever. Not just a fifty-year or so sentence, it's forEVER. Or until one of you dies which, barring extreme circumstances, NEVER happens. So ... what was she thinking?

I had thought she had been forced into the blood-bonding with Roth. That's the only way I could accept what follows. But she wasn't. She went into it by choice. Made her bed, so to speak.

So, then we have the return of Andreas, the man she really loves and he's out for vengeance against Roth -- her mate. He attacks Roth's Darkhaven, killing everyone (yes, even family members, which is hypocritical because that's exactly why he hates Roth -- no matter that the villain doesn't care about them, it's still the same thing). Then he attacks Roth's country home, where Claire resides, killing all the agents who are there to protect her.

And somehow she's still not only attracted to him, but is totally shocked when Roth sends a death squad out to kill him after she calls her mate to "help Andreas". Lordy. What a dingbat. And Roth sending the death squad is proof positive to her that Andreas (the man she witnessed killing EVERYONE) is telling the truth that Roth is the actual monster. Yeah.

Okay. If you're still reading, I'm on to the next offense. They embark on a love affair! Yes! But Roth is a monster, you say. Yes, he is. But she has no real evidence that he is. Only Andreas's say-so and he's killed EVERYONE. As I said, if she'd been forced into the loveless blood-bond, or even if Roth had been abusive (not just neglectful), I might have been able to accept this. But I can't. He's a monster, but Claire made her bed with him and she's got to wait until he's dead...

...which is what Andreas is trying to bring about and she keeps trying to stop him! Because she's afraid Roth will hurt him. After she's seen him kill EVERYONE!

And after she's found out some info that convinces her Roth is indeed involved in something really ugly that's going to get a lot of humans and Breed killed, she pretends she can't feel Roth in Boston and runs away. Because she's afraid he might hurt Andreas. So ... run away from Andreas. Leave him in Boston. Where Roth is. So he can be blind-sided by an attack instead. Which he'd probably survive anyway because she's already seen that he can kill EVERYONE!

She finally decides she's going to help after she finds out about the dead Breedmates. Everyone has a limit, right? Sheesh. But now Andreas wants her to stay away. Luckily we're spared that hollow conflict and she helps anyway.

Which brings about the best part of the book which is probably the last 15%. But it's a long way getting there. And still the HEA leaves a bad taste in my mouth. A couple of TSTL adulterers live happily-ever-after with some vague future of spying or something. Whoopee.

I'm concerned about what Adrian has in store for Chase. He was basically taken out early on in this book and we didn't see or hear from him again. They said he'd be out for a week. Weeks later, and he's still MIA. I'm hoping she doesn't pull a Phury on him and make him the background guy who gets the tepid romance that nobody cares about. Or kills him off. He's not the lead in the next two books so ...

This was just so disappointing when Andreas has been a favorite of mine for several books and when I loved Veil of Midnight so much.

Lara Adrian has a lot of talent and I like her format where we get a lot of alone time with the hero and heroine. That's why when she hits a clunker, it's such a bummer. I've already read the next in the series, so I can tell anyone who agrees with this review and thinks they want to give up after this book that they shouldn't.

I don't even know where to begin.

If you've been following this series since the first installment, I know you have to read this book. This has many important events concerning the future of the Order and the Breed plus an incredibly disturbing/exciting occurrence in the end. However, you shouldn't expect a good story for the main characters, this is by far the most disappointing couple's story yet.

When it comes to developments for the plot as a whole, this book is very necessary and leaves the reader curious about the warrior's future. But that's the only good thing about it.

I was so eager to read this book when I saw it would be about Andreas Reichen. The previous book brought alarming news about Reichen's Darkhaven and his good life in Germany. He's a character presented since Tagen's story and someone I had grown to like. A strong, intelligent and competent man. The way his ability was presented in Veil of Midnight created the expectation of something big - heroic even -, awe inspiring pyro powers.

Also, since the first book, Lara Adrian's story and writing had been uplifting remarkably. From a dull first book to a good third, a better one with the forth and a very good one with the fifth.

When Ashes of Midnight starts it seems that the expectation will be met, since Reichen is playing havoc in Germany, bringing revenge on everyone involved with the massacre at his house. But then, for reasons unknown to me, the author starts to paint Reichen as a weak individual, self-contempt and fear ruling him, nothing like the character we were presented in the past.

The heroine, Claire, is selfish, coward and naive to the point of stupidity. When she finally understands that the world is not a perfect place, her reaction is so absurd that I got the urge to slap her. Instead of stopping to think of something she could do to help, her first instinct is to hole up in a safe place with the guy she cares about and let others deal with whatever evil is lurking out there. What kind of heroine is that?

After the author manages to make you dislike both main characters by their actions and the book is close to its end, everything changes. Claire finally realizes she's being irrational and remembers, all of the sudden, to care about someone other than herself. A little later, Reichen becomes again the interesting male we saw in the previous installments, he apparently recalls that he's a strong willed man and that he can handle what's been thrown his way. Too little too late.

Their love story is bland. The complications they face are huge but you don't see either one really trying to overcome anything. They are so involved in their problems that a short scene of a 'date' and their heated moments are just boring. Even when they're fighting it lacks a spark.

The termination of the couple' struggle is something out of a nightmare (no pun intended). The whole concept is surreal, the idea is bizarre and so poorly explored that it ended in a bunch of non-sense about pitch dark places and flames while they slept. Really didn't convince me of a deep bond or anything as charming as Tess tries to insinuate in a conversation with Lucan.

Apart from the main characters, when seeing flashes of the problems the Order is facing, you get the impression the author either forgot what already had happened in the past stories or she simply decided the warriors would be brainless on this one. For instance, when the Order faces with a Gen One savagely killing humans in Boston, they don't even consider the information they came across since Rio's chat with Dragos, two books ago. I think strategists would always consider the worst case scenario instead of dreading to think about it. Anyway, for the first time in the series, the passages of Dragos' ploting were more interesting than what was happening with the warriors or the main couple. Not a good sign.

Really disappointed with this one.

Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Paranormal Romance- May 26th, 2009
4 ½ stars

The thing I like best about Lara Adrian's Breed Series is that she doesn't take her readership for granted. Each time I read one of her books I learn something new and exciting. I only wish I knew more...but if she didn't drag it out it wouldn't be half as intriguing. In her latest installment, Ashes of Midnight we meet perhaps her most fearsome hero to date.

Riechen is a vampire bent on revenge. The attack and ultimate destruction of his family devastated him. As a result, the powers he had long tried to keep dormant resurfaced with deadly consequences. Reichen is a dangerous and unstable pyrokinetic. With nothing left to live for he hunts down Roth, the vampire responsible. The same vampire who seduced and stole the woman he loved.

Claire's relationship with Roth is an obligatory blood bond. One she never enjoyed. Bound by duty and honor but never love. An arrangement she agreed to while young and naïve. After Reichen broke her heart and when she foolishly trusted Roth.

When Reichen finds her on his search to destroy Roth, Claire and Reichen cannot help their mutual attraction. But to be together is to betray the sacrament of the blood bond. To make matters worse, Reichen can only think of justice, but each time he uses his powers he become less able to control it. Claire fears for his life but knows he will not give up vengeance.

It was a pleasure to read Ashes of Midnight. I was particularly fascinated to learn more about the blood bond. I enjoyed revisiting members of the Order and their breedmates as they played key roles in this story. Lara Adrian delves deeper into vampire society and slowly reveals more about: the Ancient, Dragos (the mastermind), and the new Gen Ones assassins infiltrating the city. Tantalizing glimpses which allude to but do not answer where the final story will lead. The only difficulty I had was that Claire was not as strong a female character as Lara Adrian's previous books in the series. Claire became tougher later in the book but I wish it had occurred earlier. Her personality made sense and was true to her character but I can't help liking the feisty/gutsy heroine. But this is still a book that is NOT to be missed. The ending is thrilling and a bit shocking as the stakes get higher but will sure to please loyal fans of this series, even as it makes you long for the next book.


Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Fire is one of the most destructive things on the planet. Fire being thrown from the hands of a vengeful vampire is even more dangerous. Add in a mate he can't forget, and you have the sixth and newest installment of Lara Adrian's MIDNIGHT BREED series, ASHES OF MIDNIGHT.

Andreas Reichen is one out-of-control and angry vampire. Three months ago the Darkhaven compound housing his family and friends was annihilated and everyone killed by the Enforcement Agency. Andreas hatches a plan to kill the man responsible and goes to his mansion outside the city. With his newly released pyrotechnic skills blazing, Andreas mows through anything in his path. He wants gratification, and he wants it now. Burning anyone who crosses his path, Andre does not expect to see the one woman he can't forget - Claire Roth, his enemy's Breedmate and the only woman he has ever loved.

Claire Roth has spent the last thirty years regretting her decision to become Wilhelm Roth's Breedmate and yearning for news of the one man that she is unable to forget - Andreas Reichen. Now it is too late. Claire has gotten word that he, along with his family and friends perished after an attack on his Darkhaven compound. Silently mourning the man she secretly loved, Claire plans a memorial garden for him. When her bodyguards rush to her and beg her to leave because of an unseen danger, Claire reluctantly leaves her home only to be stopped by a power more deadly than nature - Andreas Reichen in pyrotechnic mode - and he is not happy.

Andreas will have his revenge on Wilhelm Roth and nothing will stop him - not even Claire, Wilhelm's ignored mate and Andreas' secret beloved.

Blazing heat comes to mind when I think of ASHES OF MIDNIGHT. Andreas and his hidden abilities forced me to gulp more than once in trepidation at his anger. Stone cold emotions were shown where before, playful but regal sentiments were the emotions of Andreas Reichen. He knew who had ordered his family's death and he knew what he had to do in order to get his revenge. He was not playing this time around. Wilhelm Roth was going down even if he had to go down with him. Claire balanced out Andreas' personality in ASHES OF MIDNIGHT. Not only did she love him unconditionally, but her loyalty to him and the memories of their long ago love affair changed her mind.

In a whirlwind of feelings, ASHES OF MIDNIGHT will scorch its way to your heart. Andreas and Claire's powerful and intense love will make you yearn for their happily ever after. I couldn't have asked for a better story.

Natalie S.

Lara Adrian has given us another amazing novel of the Order and the Breeds and Breedmates who live to protect our world. This novel is about Andre (such a cute nickname) and Claire. The last we heard of him he had found his entire estate and all of his family dead by a Breed named Roth who is high in society and the Enforcement Agency.

Needless to say this book is about vengeance and revenge. Andre's agony is so bitter that his rage consumes him and physically manifests itself into his pyrokinetics. He's so focused on avenging his family that his old lover Claire doesn't stand a chance. Andre is definitely not the man Claire had fallen in love with three decades past, he's angry, bitter and is filled with white hot rage. Claire has always realized that Roth doesn't love her and sees her as an accessory, as one might a purse or ring. She had thought Andre had left her and now being thrust back together seems to put the two on edge.

Dragos is breeding new Gen One assassins faster than the Order can recruit (it's already stretched so thin with Conlan's death) and he also has a plan to destroy the Order as he moves his breeding lab to 'higher grounds.'

This is another great story not just about the 'paranormal romance' but about war, fighting, guns, fire and yes the all consuming fate tying love. Andre is beautiful and broken, Claire is hurt but stubborn. All the Order's warriors are still deadly and and still so imperfectly perfect for each of their breedmates. Loyal fans will love this new book and newbies... go read Kiss of Midnight, I promise this author opens a wonderful new world that will have you looking over every inch of your skin for the tell tale mark of a breedmate!

I really wanted to love the sixth book in this series. I usually devour these books like a Hershey's Bar, but for some reason this one just never hooked me like the others. It took me six days to read it. (Normally it takes about one and a half.) I found it very easy to put it down for long periods of time. Maybe it's because the romance, to me, lacked sizzle right out of the gate and never seemed to come to life. I couldn't really get behind Claire's character because she seemed so insipid and, dare I say it? Stupid! It's a pet peeve of mine when supposedly shrewd characters go around blabbing everything they know to the bad guy! Now I realize the bad guy in this was her bonded mate, however, he's practically ignored her for 30 years, and she knows he isn't exactly an upstanding guy, so wouldn't she take into consideration the things Andreas told her and at least hold her cards close to her vest for awhile? Maybe wait and see for herself? But no! She runs right out and spills her guts to Roth therby making herself a liability to him and putting herself and Andreas in a far more dangerous position. Very Cliche! (And she does it more than once.) No, Claire was not a good enough heroine for Andreas, whose been a very intriguing character in her previous books. Andreas, whose anger and need for vengeance was all consuming, had the potential to be an awesome hero. Sensual, sexy, tortured, he had it all! I'm not sure why it went so wrong. I was wholly uninterested in him and Clair.

My other big beef with this book was the inconsistencies. Much was made of her blood bond to Roth. For a couple who'd had only minimal contact for 30 years it seemed awful strong. Stronger, in fact, than some of the other pairs seemed to be. She could actually feel his pain. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but when Rio was practically blown to bits in that explosion his mate wasn't writhing around on the floor in pain. As far as I can tell, none of them felt each other's pain (literally) through their blood bond. Maybe they felt a certain amount of distress or echo's of feeling and emotion, but this was different. If you're going to do a series like this whoever is in charge of keeping the storyline cohesive needs to be on the ball!

I did give this book three stars, however, because I was very interested in the goings on of the rest of the order. They were brought back in quite a lot in this book. I liked how they finally started utilizing one of their biggest assets, their breedmates, who have the advantage of being able to move in the daytime. The storyline didn't progress to awful much, just mainly verifying what they already suspected. (So why all the surprise when they confirmed what they'd already concluded? I know, I'm nit-picking!) But there is a cliffhanger ending that makes it a must read for those continuing to follow this series. I know I will be. Why let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch? There's always books I like better than others when reading a series. I hear the next one is about Kade, who I don't know that much about, so it's hard for me to get too excited. I could have wished for Chase's, whose been around since the second book and I have way more of a vested interest in. Oh well! I'm still looking forward to it and hoping she gets back on track!

I'm amazed that so many people have given this book a good review. I've read all of Lara's previous MB series. This one is not very good. I'm currently stumbling and scanning my way through the last quarter of this book, driven only with some stubbornness and so I will know what happens in the 'bigger picture' of the Darkhaven/Dragos world.

Our heroine Claire is so stupid and annoying that it makes me crazy. Andreas is "ok", but if he's all gaga for this twit, then he's no prize either. The romance feels very forced and lackluster. I'm rolling my eyes during the romantic scenes. The story isn't interesting either.

The book just before this one - Veil of Midnight - really lost me on the romantic front too, but at least the rest of the story was interesting. This one is just blah all around.

Who wrote this book? It sure doesn't feel like Lara did. Because I liked her first 4 books, I had pre-ordered the latest one (Shades of Midnight). I hope it's the book that turns things around for me, or I'll be done with the series.

This book was definitely the worst in the series. Reichen and Claire's relationship felt forced. I just couldn't get behind the two of them together. It could of been because Reichen showed up multiple times alongside Helene and the chemistry between the two seemed more real. Also, not enough interaction with The Order. All in all, not impress with the effort and hope that the upcoming book with Kade puts this series back on track!

Andreas Reichen was introduced into the series earlier as a powerful, sophisticated, cultured DARKHAVEN Midnight Breed vampire. In MIDNIGHT AWAKENING, Reichen was a former comrade of the Order's Gen One Tegan warrior. Andreas Reichen proved himself to be loyal, honorable and brave. It is not explained why such a vampire would not be with a Breedmate, but on the surface he appeared to be a man who was in control of his life and enjoyed it unattached.
This installment gives us the REAL story of Andreas Reichen. We have been learning that Breeedmates pass on "gifts" or powers to their Breed offspring throughout the series. Each of the warriors in the Order have an extra special gift/power from their mothers. Andreas discovers after he has fallen in love with Breedmate Claire that his gift is one of fire that starts from his guts and shoots out in fireballs of flames. Afraid that he will harm the one woman he loves, because he doesn't know how to control it; he vanishes without an explanation. Wilhelm Roth, who is an evil, power hungry, ambitious psychopath, has always been jealous of Andreas. So in order to hurt Andreas, he woos and wins the heartbroken Claire and becomes Claire's Breedmate. Wilhelm Roth purposefully makes their union one in name only. It is a glorifed trap for Claire. She is stuck in a loveless sham. Roth considers her only a tool in his jealous revenge against Reichen. Thirty years pass.
The previous book, Veil of Midnight set up the core story of this book. Wilhelm Roth set up a murderous raid on Reichen Darkhaven home and all of the inhabitants were gunned down in a massacre. When Reichen discovers that everything and everyone he loved was gone, his "gift' of fire got out of control and his entire manor and grounds were burnt down to the dirt. It was assumed Reichen died in the conflagration.
Claire, who still loves Andreas plans a memorial garden in his memory at her private villa. To her amazement, she hears that someone has been one by one destroying and killing anything and anyone connected with her Breedmate Wilhelm Roth. Claire's gift is that she can enter into and interact with people through their dreams. She tries to warm her Breedmate, Roth, that he is in danger. In his dream, Roth tells her to keep out of his dreams and to never come back. This Breedmate relationship goes counter to what the author Lara Adrian has built up in her previous 5 books. The reader had been previously informed that no union was more sacred and loving than the ones between Breedmates because they had a mutual blood bond. In this book, neither Roth or Claire are bonded in any way other than for Claire to engage in illogical and counter intuitive acts that betray or hurt her true love Reichen. Roth never shows anything in his evil ways that he is bonded to Claire except to give pain to Reichen.
In fact, Claire of all the Breedmates in the preceding books, is the most annoying and illogical one of the group. The author will give us glimpses of the woman that Reichen fell in love with and then she will turn around and do something stupid or worse betraying, to Reichen and you wonder why he remains true to her.
Another criticism I have about this book is that Reichen loses all the charm, sophisticated worldly characteristics that made him so attractive a character in the earlier books and he becomes this boring fixated on revenge automaton.
The redeeming parts of the book is that the Boston compound and all the rest of the Order are back in business in the book. This is what saves this book. I love the reintroduction of the Midnight Breed. Gideon, Lucan, Tegan, Dante, Rio, Niko are all back with their mates, Savannah, Tess, Gabrielle, Dylan, Renata etc. More of them please!
The Evil is growing. The Evil is spreading out. We need the Midnight Breed Order to save the world.

Andreas Reichen is a leader of the Darkhaven and ally to The Order. The Order is group of fierce (all male) warriors, crossbreeds of otherworldly and human origins. Their only mission is to protect "The Breed." The Breed is all of the civilian vampires. This means The Order must wipe out all Rogues. The Rogues are vampires who have given themselves over to Bloodlust and become savage creatures. They are junkies who will do anything for their next fix of blood. But on top of the war on Rouge's and trying to hunt down the ancient alien vampire - a women has damaging evidence that could expose the vampires. The Order is also deep into a war against Dragos and his plans to kill all existing Gen Ones - only to create his own Gen One using the Ancient One he has trapped in his lab. Andreas's worst enemy William Roth is one of Dragos's lieutenants.

After 4 months together, thirty years ago, Andreas and Claire Samuels (now Roth) parted ways. He abruptly vanished from her life, until now - now he is out for vengeance against her blood-bonded mate William. A year after Andreas vanished Claire took William as her mate even though she still loved Andreas - that was her sin. Thirty-years later Andreas commits the greatest sin according to breed law, one punishable by death - he betrays the sacrament of the blood-bond between Claire and William when he feeds on her.

This story is another fine example of the Lara Adrian's writing. This book held my attention. I read it in one sitting - this book pulled me chapter after chapter without a break. The book has a good solid pace, and great flow. The females have started to become stronger characters, I enjoy good strong heroines. The story wraps up nicely but, leaves enough questions that I have already preordered the next installment, Shades of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel.

The books in the series:
Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1) - Lucan Thorne and Gabrielle Maxwell
Kiss of Crimson (The Midnight Breed, Book 2) - Dante and Dr. Tess Culver
Midnight Awakening (The Midnight Breed, Book 3) - Tegan and Elise Chase
Midnight Rising (The Midnight Breed, Book 4) - Rio and Dylan Alexander
Veil of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 5) - Nikolai and Renata
Ashes of Midnight (Midnight Breed Series) - Andreas Reichen and Claire Roth
Shades of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel - Kade ~ Coming December 29, 2009