Customer Reviews

Saving Midnight (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

SYNOPSIS:
This final segment of the Fitz Clare Chronicles trilogy finds the Fitz Clare family members on separate continents trying to put a stop to the power-mad rogue vampires Frank and Li Hua. Those two have managed to get their hands on an artifact which is capable of stealing human souls. Each soul they take makes them stronger and pushes them closer to being too powerful for even the strongest vampire to stop.

OPINION:
My goodness what in the world happened? I have been a firm advocate for both Kissing Midnight (Upyr) (book one) and Breaking Midnight (Berkley Sensation) (book two) but I wasn't prepared for this cartoonish novel with no artwork but loads of sex. I couldn't believe this Perils of Pauline look-alike was written by the same author who wrote the first two books. The main characters of Edmund Fitz Clare and his fiancee Estelle remain in England for almost the entire book while Edmund goes through some bizarre tormented angst which amounts to a hill of beans. When Estelle finally manages to get him to tell her what his problem is we get the equivalent of "get over it" as her best advice and he is miraculously free from torment. All to keep those characters out of the picture while everyone else descends on America in pursuit of Frank and Li Hua who have become the vampire equivalent of Bonnie and Clyde, only they steal souls as well as money. We go tearing around the U. S. from a Charleston, South Carolina plantation to the Chicago World's Fair to the Rocking L Ranch outside Amarillo, Texas with plenty of stops along the way. In all of these travels Ms Holly has us experience everything happening in the United States in 1934. It felt like a history lesson gone very, very bad. All while this merry band took turns driving the 1933 Chrysler DeSoto here, there and everywhere. Oops, vampires have to sleep during the day remember so places had to be found for the group to hole up while the vampires slept. Evidently the humans never needed to.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I said, out loud mind you, You've got to be kidding me! No, sorry, no such luck. And the sex. Just don't even get me started about all the times this story was interrupted at a totally inappropriate time and place in the action for the couples to have action of their own. My standard reaction became total boredom and skipping over those parts. The plot was annoying me enough without adding the sex scenes. Note to self: Do not read books which have too many couples who are all depicted as having many sexual encounters! In point of fact, I do not feel that this book was a well written book. The cadence of the sentence structure felt different. There was too much American history lesson thrown in. The author slipped into 2009 vernacular instead of keeping it in 1934 phrasing. In places you could almost feel the author's mind working to put in an unwieldy explanation to tie up yet another improbable situation. I also think that this book would be unsatisfactory to anyone who doesn't already know the story from the two previous books. The tie-in between this book and the other two was not nearly as well done as from book one to book two.

RECOMMENDATION:
No. Plain and simple, no. Now, if you want to read it to finish out the trilogy, be my guest since that is certainly your right. I thought it was dreadful. I'm seriously disappointed. It took me almost 4 whole days to force myself to read an Emma Holly book and I even skipped over parts. Unheard of!!

Based on the review by myotherself, I was hesitant to continue the Fitz Clare Chronicles, fearing it was as bad as the review said it was. Thankfully my love for the trilogy and my need to finish things I begin, I gamely pressed on to purchase Saving Midnight--and I thoroughly enjoyed it (and it taught me a lesson to remember that everyone comes to a book with different expectations). Granted, I love book one Kissing Midnight (Upyr) the best because I love the pairing of Edmund and Estelle, but Saving Midnight wraps up most of the dangling threads woven in the first two books.

As with all trilogies, the last book could be considered emotionally weaker than the beginning and middle segments of the tale. And this is partly true with Saving Midnight, which keeps it from being a four or five star book. Yes, Edmund does spend most of his on-screen time brooding and emoting, but if you've followed the entire Upyr series, he has reason for his fears and his past to fully release themselves upon his psyche at this time. Yes, the American setting does come across heavy-handedly, but no more so than Holly's descriptions of 1930s Britain & Europe--but the writing is so fluid and upbeat, it handily covers the occasional awkward drop of history into the narrative. As for the sex, it's no more crazily placed than in any other Holly book. And with Holly's special brand of sweet erotica, the sex may be set-up, but the emotions and the characters are real.

However, lest you think my review consists of rebutting the review of myotherself, I must say my biggest disappointment is that the series was only three books long. Holly ends the book on a monumental cliffhanger that hopefully bodes well for more FitzClare novels--though since everyone is pretty much paired up, they will be more along the lines of romantic historical paranormal suspense erotica (try that on the spine!)--which I don't mind as I am fascinated by the interwar period and would love for there to be more historical romances set in this period. In closing, I enjoyed Saving Midnight as a savory and fitting end to a feast, with a bunch of great romance and great sex to spice things up.

You hit it on the head! I like Emma Holly for her smooth plots, exciting detail, and vivid, believable erotic writing. But this book! I had the same reaction--What happened??? The awkward phrasing, awkward plotting, and unrealistic sex scenes were so irritating that I could not finish it.


Ms. Holly is generally such an excellent writer that I am more disappointed than if I hadn't become accustomed to her (previously) incredible writing. I hope she gets back to her usual excellence with her next book!

Great book. I have 2 of 3 books that I need and I can not read until I get another one I am waiting on in the series.

Emma Holly provides a finale to this tale that's exciting and full of suspense. It's a powerful love story filled with relationships that have grown throughout the series. The storyline is masterfully done as we relate to the couples and their battles from within as well as from evil that doesn't seem to have any boundaries to hold it back. Dialogue, eroticism, and scenarios that pull us in help the book seem to come alive. This time Ms. Holly wraps us in the rich heritage of the south and the horrors of the depression era as the villains seek weaknesses to build their strength.

From the Fitz Clare family castle to a southern plantation or the dust bowl of Oklahoma Ms. Holly takes us on a journey filled with eroticism and great attention to detail. Inner strength isn't relegated to men only. The women in the book help empower their men to bigger and better things but also lend a hand when needed. This series is recommended for any fan of erotic paranormal romance who likes their story to be complex and suspenseful as well as fun. - Dee Dailey

Breaking Midnight

His enemies captured Edmund when he foolishly ran off the night he received the surge of power Auriculus' death gave him. He finds himself in a dungeon, God knows where, being tortured for secrets that he is unable to reveal, because what the torturers seek isn't something Edmund can tell, much less show. That, however, is no deterrent to his captors who are convinced that Edmund is lying.

The Fitz Clare clan doesn't plan on waiting for the safe return of their patriarch. Estelle, the unofficial leader of the family, has decided to go after Edmund as she is having extremely lucid dreams that are slowly revealing clues to Edmund's whereabouts. The men, Graham and Ben, Edmund's grown sons, have no intention of letting Estelle run off on her own to rescue their father, which means, of course, that Sally will be off with them as well. Now with this small family army in tow, they set off to Europe to track down Edmund.

However, fate has plans for them that they never counted on - Graham becoming an Upyr to save his father and then there's the addition of the mysterious Pen to their group. Will they reach Edmund in time or will they be too late in spite of all their efforts?



Saving Midnight

Now that Edmund is home safe and sound, they have retreated to an old family home in order to help Edmund come to terms with the fall out of his rescue and his ever-increasing powers. Not much seems to be going Edmund's way and he is slowly, but surely driving Estelle away - the only one that will ultimately help him come back to himself.

In the meantime, attacks of unconscionable brutality have been occurring in America that Graham and Edmund suspect are the acts of Edmund's captors. Edmund is unable to go with such an unstable control over himself, although Graham, Ben and Sally are more than willing to go in his stead to put a stop to the atrocities occurring. But what do they find once they reach America? None other than Pen, in the middle of it all, and involved in a secret organization created to protect humans from horrors such as these. In the end, Graham must decide if he trusts Pen, and himself, enough to have her along on this mission to save humanity from the depravities occurring.

In the end, they might have to sacrifice it all to triumph, but will they be willing or able to do so?



Breaking Midnight and Saving Midnight brings this epic tale that Emma Holly began in Kissing Midnight in such a spectacular fashion that will not only wrap you in the sensuality of the characters, but also have you on the edge of your seat as the mystery and fast paced action rocket explosively from the first page. Edmund continues to be a fascinating man, full of contradictions and vulnerability. Estelle becomes, almost by default, the leader of the Fitz Clare clan and becomes the driving force behind Edmund's daring and deadly risky rescue. The real surprise within both of these novels is the revelation of Edmund's children - Graham, Ben and Sally. Graham is reveled to be a man of strength that is willing to go to any length to protect his family, even so far as becoming an Upyr, something he previously had reviled. Ben and Sally, inevitably, become each other's strength as they unite as a couple and the gifts they have received from their proximity to Edmund are revealed. However, the real surprise in these novels is Pen. The previously vacuous girl-child sheds her dilettante persona and shows herself to be a commando of sorts, more than ready and able to engage in battle against the evil Upyr. As expected from Emma Holly, Breaking Midnight and Saving Midnight are full of sensual moments that will have you reaching for a cool glass of water which serves to not only heighten the suspense and romance, but will leave every fan breathlessly on the edge of their seat waiting for the next move! The set up and detailed development of the Upyr world and the Fitz Clare family is magnificent and it only serves to whet the reader's appetite and leaving you wanting for more after the last page is turned. Pick up Breaking Midnight and Saving Midnight for a powerfully emotional read that is action packed and steaming hot! Bravo Ms. Holly, this trilogy is spectacular work!


Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I was quite impressed with the finale to this series. I didn't care for Graham's character in the 1st book but I warmed up to him in the 2nd book and really enjoyed he and his love interest, Pen, in the 3rd book. This book is a juicy love story with a great story line. There is sex but it is tastefully written and I never bore of Emma Holly's writing style.

This could have been a stand alone book. The sex scenes were nice and hot and the interaction between the characters was great. The drawbacks was that Edmund faded to the background - I would have preferred to hear more about him. Also the villians were disposed of too easily. All in all not shakespeare, but still a good read.

In 1934 the Fitz Clare clan are a family composed of vampires and humans who love and cherish one another deeply; so much so each would die to save one of their bloods. Graham recently proved this premise when his adopted father Edmond was kidnapped by two vampires who demanded he reveal how to create more undead; Graham was changed into a vampire and with the help of beautiful Pen, they rescue Edmond who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (see BREAKING MIDNIGHT).

Now his fiancée Estelle asks for help from the vampire that Edmond most loathes in the world. Graham finds he misses Pen and his emotions are all tangled because he needs to see her but refuses to contact her. Pen thought he was interested in her, but when two rogue vamps Li-Hua and Frank attack her at the plantation she now owns, she call Graham's family for help. Graham, his mortal brother Ben and his pregnant wife Sally come to help her. They realize they have to find the artifact that gives the evil vamps more power and even when they do they fear they are in for the battle of their lives as the enemy is stronger than a regular (if there can be such a thing) vampire as they share a mystical bond that exponentially enhances their strengths proving the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Meanwhile Graham and Pen are sharing their feelings for one another.

Emma Holly's "Midnight" saga is one of the best historical urban romantic fantasies written today (see KISSING MIDNIGHT) as humans and vampires find love with one another. The characters are well defined especially the extended Fitz Clare clan whose philosophy is to cover each others back and neck.. The different vampires have diverse powers, which they learn to use by experimenting as no one can teach a fledgling what to do. SAVING MIDNIGHT transports readers to a romantic fantasy alternate depression Era that is bloody great.

Harriet Klausner