Pray for Dawn: A shot of adrenaline

Pray for Dawn by Jocelynn Drake

I loved the first DARK DAYS novel, Nightwalker, but was a little disappointed in the next two installments. I am happy to report that with Pray for Dawn, Jocelynn Drake gives the series the shot of adrenaline it needed.

Drake makes the unusual choice of switching narrators for this book; it’s told from Danaus’ point of view. A few months have passed since the battle at Machu Picchu, and Danaus has been trying to put Mira out of his mind. Then, he’s summoned to Savannah to help solve the supernaturally-tinged murder of a senator’s daughter, a murder that threatens to expose the existence of paranormal beings to the public.

This means working with Mira again, which always leads to some uncomfortable cognitive dissonance for Danaus. Vampires are the blood-sucking monsters he’s hunted for centuries — yet he can’t help admiring Mira’s ethics and leadership qualities, not to mention the disturbing attraction he feels for her.

The beginning of the book didn’t quite grab me, and it may be my fault; I’m just sort of burned out on vampire politics. But when the investigation takes off, Pray for Dawn becomes riveting. Drake keeps us turning pages with plenty of suspense, unsettling revelations, and scenes that are just plain awesome (a fight in a botanical conservatory! Mira and Danaus going on a Haunted Savannah tour!).

Pray for Dawn ends on a cliffhanger, and readers will be glad they don’t have to wait long for Wait for Dusk.

Dark Days — (2008-2012) Publisher: For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker — an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed… and may be all that prevents her doom. The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt… or be hunted.

Author

Kelly Lasiter

KELLY LASITER, with us since July 2008, is a mild-mannered academic administrative assistant by day, but at night she rules over a private empire of tottering bookshelves. Kelly is most fond of fantasy set in a historical setting (a la Jo Graham) or in a setting that echoes a real historical period (a la George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey). She also enjoys urban fantasy and its close cousin, paranormal romance, though she believes these subgenres’ recent burst in popularity has resulted in an excess of dreck. She is a sucker for pretty prose (she majored in English, after all) and mythological themes.
View all posts