The Witch Sisters and The Descent by Alma Katsu (The Taker #2.5 and #3)

First impression

I really liked the two first book of this trilogy so I was quite eager to finish it. I am happy I read the short story The Witch Sisters since it gave more context to what was happening in the third and final book. I was a bit disappointed with the story of the latter however; there is more about Adair's past and it was interesting to see Lanore "confront her demons" but...there was something missing; the darkness present in the previous books was there but felt diluted. It was still a nice roundup of the story but I was hoping for more.

Final thoughts

When I started reading The Descent I kept feeling like I had forgotten stuff from the second book. As it turns out, it just happens that I didn't and Katsu simply decided to turn things around quite a bit. I don't want to give spoilers, but since this happened in the first pages, here it is. Luke is dead...dead! It felt so out of the blue to just take him out of the picture, but oh well.

I like Adair, as twisted as he is and I enjoyed the back story development. I was even surprised at the end. But...this calmer version of Adair has its downfall and it just fell flat compared to the dark, sinister character presented in the other books.

Lanore stays more or less true to herself and as I mentioned it gave a nice closure to her side of the story when she had to confront her friends and foes. But once again, it feels like a fading, washed out version of her. In the past books she felt strong, determined...here it was almost like just going through the motions.

I rounded the rating to a 4 because the end itself was different. It just feels like is a book from a completely different series. Even the cover seems to go for a different story, compared to the gorgeous and mysterious previous ones. Oh well.

The Reckoning by Alma Katsu

Man's love of man's life a thing apart, 'tis woman's whole existence. -Byron

Why I read this book?

This is the second book in The Taker Trilogy. I read the first one for last year's R.I.P challenge and so I waited for this year's R.I.P to continue Lanore's story. Also it makes part of my Sequel Challenge. 

What's the book about?

If you haven't read the first book I suggest you stop reading right now. During The Taker we learned the tragic and painful (literally full of pain) story of Lanore and how she became immortal, lost the love of her life and trapped the "evil" man that did all of this to her. She left America with Luke, who left everything behind just to follow her. In this book Adair has escaped his prison and is thirsty for revenge. Lanore will now try to hide or at least find a way to escape the punishment that surely awaits.  

What about the main character?

In The Reckoning we have a lot of recurrent characters and we learn a bit more about their back stories. However, the main characters remain both Lanore and Adair. Lanore acts as determined as she did, back at the Taker, she know what has to be done and she will do it, even if it means hurting others, since she can't hurt herself (at least physically). I was surprised about the...let's call it evolution of Adair's character. As he sees himself with different eyes so do we. And not to give away anything, but OMG the end!!!!!

Final thoughts

He observed over the centuries that what made a person old was when they could no longer keep up with change. It's the beginning of the end, though few recognize it as such at the time

I have to say, I quite enjoyed the dual point of view in this book. Learning a bit more about the side characters was a big plus, for it makes a lot of actions in both books more understandable. Once again, the descriptions and hints about torture were bone chilling, but just made me want to read faster to know what was going to happen next. One thing that gave extra points in this one was Lanore's traveling. I love it when a book takes me to a different scenery. I can't wait for the final installment. in the mean time, I got the e-book for The Witch Sisters, a short story about Adair's past.

The Taker by Alma Katsu (RIP #4)

Book Summary (from the book)

True love can last an eternity…but immortality comes at a price

On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural St. Andrew, Main, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting a quiet evening. Until a mysterious woman arrives in his ER, escorted by police –Lanore McIlvrae is a murder suspect- and Luke is inexplicably drawn to her. As Lanny tells him her story, an impassioned account of love and betrayal that transcends time and mortality, she changes his life forever… At the turn of the nineteenth century, when St. Andrew was a Puritan settlement, Lanny was consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, and she will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep –an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for eternity.

My Review

Let’s make something clear: this is NOT a vampire book. Why am I so adamant about this fact? Because I was actually expecting it to be yet another vampire story, only this time the girl was the one turned. But no, so bravo to Mrs Katsu on the originality.

Something I really enjoyed about this book is that you could take the supernatural part out of it, and it would still be a good story. The main character, Lanny is if not relatable (I find it hard to relate to an immortal who was “borne” in the early 1800s) is charming and is easy to understand where is she coming from, why she does whatever she does, and I like that. I did not like Jonathan, Lanny’s object of affection, but not because he is not a well constructed character, but because the way he behaves. Then again, I think his behaviour is due to an overindulgence that comes from being the only son and heir of the most powerful family in town. Not even Lanny will blame him, acknowlodging her own fault: 

So often we bring about our own downfall

Lanny and Jonathan build a friendship, where the girl would do anything for the boy, without going all Bella for Edward, if you know what I mean. No, she loves him, and in a way she tries to save him from himself several times. 

As it was mentioned in the summary the story starts with Lanny meeting Luke, a recently divorced man who also just lost his parents and has not a lot for himself in a forsaken town. When Lanny arrives to his life, she will tell him her story little by little, while he helps her in his own way.

Even though at first Luke doesn’t do much, other than listen and accompany Lanny, his character grew on me, and I was really happy with the way things ended for him (no spoilers, don’t worry). I guess he will have bigger role in the sequel, which I am quite eager to read. 

Adair, the other main character is a volatile person, he is used to getting whatever he wants, and has no problem using whatever he has in hand to get it and dominate everyone around him, he knows himself to be a devil:

Did you ever think that perhaps the only thing that keeps the devil in check is that he knows how despised he is? Even the devil longs for sympathy at times, but sympathy for the devil is fuel for the flame

The book ends with atonement for Lanny, in more ways than one, and there are a couple of twists that I was not expecting, again, kudos to the author. 

I really enjoyed the book, and since it gave me a little bit more than I expected I’m giving it a 5