Series: Clan MacAlpin (Book 2)

Fifteen years after he was kidnapped and sold into slavery, Aidan returns to Scotland to find the home he knew long gone. His mother, a proper education, a chance at love -- gone. All he has now are dreams of vengeance…

Only one woman could restore his tormented heart.

Aidan MacAlpin appreciates the hospitality of his brothers and sisters, but after surviving hell on earth, they feel more like strangers than kin. They could never understand his one ambition: To exact bloody revenge on the bastard who enslaved him all those years ago…

Elspeth Farquharson had already resigned herself to the life of a spinster when she’s hired to tutor dark, brooding Aidan -- a real-life hero more enticing than any from her adventure books. If only she could convince this tragic rogue that she’s not the nervous, stuttering bookworm she appears to be. But when Aidan shows her a clue to his tortured past, she’ll be thrust into a dangerous game of passion and deception that will awaken the sexy heroine within -- if it doesn't kill her first…

Good sequel to Devil's Highlander. Aidan returned to Scotland just in time to help his brother Cormac, and is now trying to cope with being back. After thirteen years away, he no longer knows his family members, and their hovering is driving him demented. All he can think about is finding and destroying the man responsible for his captivity. But in order to do that he has to be able to act the part of a man who wants to get into the slaving business - hard to do when you can't even read.

Elspeth is a young woman who has given up on finding love of her own. Instead she spends her days running the small farm where she and her father live. Her father is incompetent and spends his days drinking and thinking up ways to get rich quickly, leaving her to do all the work. Her only happiness comes from the adventure stories she loves to read. When her friend comes to her and begs Elspeth to tutor her brother Aidan, she can't resist. Aidan is much more interesting that any book hero.

I have to admit that Elspeth irritated me for most of the book. Her mind kept wandering to made up fantasies involving Aidan and herself, causing her to be easily flustered. She's really very smart, and intuitive when it comes to Aidan, but also very naive about what the world is really like. She constantly expects things to be like one of the stories she reads. I did like the way that she was determined to help Aidan learn and worked hard to make it happen. As she learned more about why he needed to learn to read, she was determined to help him, whether he wants her help or not. Her naivete has her walking into all kinds of trouble. Her heart is in the right place, but her methods are dangerous.

Aidan's quest for vengeance has him angry all the time. He is frustrated and embarrassed by his lack of education, but knows that learning is the only way to get what he wants. At first he sees Elspeth as something of a boring and colorless means to an end, but it isn't long before he sees signs of passion under the quiet facade. I loved seeing him tease her, trying to get the spirit to show. He soon discovers that her quiet intensity soothes the anger in him, making it easier for him to concentrate on what he needs to do. He tries to keep her out of his business, but finds that she's much more tenacious than he first gives her credit for. Trying to protect her just makes her more determined to be involved.

I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Elspeth knew what she wanted and was determined to get it, but Aidan was equally determined to resist. He feels that he is too damaged to be a suitable husband for her, and she is determined that he should see that he is a far better man than he thinks. Some of their encounters are pretty funny, and some are simply heartbreaking. And when she gets into some real trouble, Aidan is the only one who can save her.

Aidan's quest for revenge is understandable. What we learn about his life is certainly motivation for it. Without the ability to read, pursuing it is much more difficult. I liked following what he and Elspeth did, and seeing how they put together what they learned. The way it all came together was very nervewracking and I wondered if all the bad guys would get what was coming to them.

Veronica Wolff intrigued me so much that I had to pick up Vampire’s Kiss. There was something absolutely captivating about this series that I couldn’t stop reading about it. I was lucky that I was late to the game and that the following books were already released. 

Drew’s first year as an Acari recruit wasn’t an easy one. After many tears, apprehensive nights, physical labor, she survived, but without sacrifices. Now Drew is determined to become a Watcher. But if she learned one thing after her first year, it is that nothing is what it seems. Vampires are sinister, recruits and deathly competitive, and she can only find solace in a select handful. Set to go on her first mission, Drew quickly learns that she is in much deeper than she can stand.
Drew has grown on me. Her tenacity has calmed down, but still lingers on the surface. She is still determined to do what she wants, but now she is a little weary. Her questions are slowly being answered, but not on purpose. It is sad how closed off she has become, but within reason. Drew’s life on the island has taken a turn for the worse, in more ways than one. And there is a creepy thing going on with the vampire Alcantara that really weirds me out. I mean, really, really weird.

The characters have evolved so much from Isle of Night to Vampire’s Kiss. Usually, I see characters evolve after the end of book two, but not for Wolff. She has placed each character into the perfect position to love or hate, depending on the scene. I began to understand each character and their thoughts, allowing for a perfect development and progression of growth. 

Wolff’s world was built solely on an island. In Vampire’s Kiss, she is extending that world for the sake of the mission. I was a little hesitant to love the changes, but once I read the story, those changes were inevitable. 

There are a lot of intriguing plots in Vampire’s Kiss, some action anxiety-causing scenes, as well as a cliffhanger that almost made me angry. The intensity of the plot is entertaining to read, and looking back I appreciate it a lot more now. There’s a good build-up in the story that will please fans of Wolff and The Watcher’s series. 

The Watcher’s series by Veronica Wolff is highly addictive and I urge you to read it.

There are many paranormal stories for young adults that are based on vampires. What sets Isle of Night, by Veronica Wolff, apart from other stories is the basis of the story. It isn’t every day that you have a world where males are categorized as the vampires and females are The Watchers. It intrigued me, that’s for sure.

Isle of Night is set on an island where females survive to be the best of the best. To become a Watcher, chosen females must train, learn, and defeat their opponents. Annelise was on a road to start fresh from a not-so-happy childhood. She finally has what she wanted, until a dark and mysterious man promises her a brand new life worth taking a chance on. Annelise quickly learns that it will be a long road to victory, and in order to do so, she must beat every other recruit. If she doesn’t, failure would only mean death.

Annelise was an interesting heroine to get to know. She is a very opinionated main character. Annelise is described as brilliant, bordering on genius. I feel that Annelise’s actions don’t always reflect that trait. She is quick to react, with a wit to match, but doesn’t always think about the consequence. Annelise is a little reckless, and definitely filled with bravado. Wolff writes her in a way that a reader relates. In this insanely competitive world, actions have to come first and Annelise definitely proves that point time and time again.

I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the supporting characters. A few I liked over others, but there wasn’t one specific thing that made them stand out. There were obvious villains, the good guys, and a couple characters that I just didn’t know what side they were on. I think my expectations of this book were high, demanding something that my reading preferences and I unfairly needed.

Isle of Night has its own world set within a contemporary setting. Most of the story takes place in this mysterious island, not fully explored within this book. There are many variables, including the weather, strange creatures, and even unique locations.

Isle of Night is promising. I want to know more about the Watchers, this mysterious island, and the about the people who inhabit it.