Welcome to my first Reading Roundup post for April! The days are brighter and golden daffodils are shining in the sun. So, what am I reading?

Relentlessly grim, dark, bloody fantasy with the most horrific vampires that I have ever encountered in all my years of reading!!!

Last week’s book was the second part of Jay Kristoff’s epic series Empire of the Vampire: Empire of the Damned. Here is the blurb…

“Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost.

After turning his back on his silversaint brothers once and for all, Gabriel and the Grail set out to learn the truth of how Daysdeath might finally be undone.

But the last silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by children of the Forever King, drawn into wars and webs centuries in the weaving, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the truth of the Grail revealed.

A truth that may be too awful for any to imagine.”

It took me a while to read this huge book, but it was worth it! This is my response on Goodreads…

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Is it good for me to read a book like this in a series like this when I am suffering from a dark and deep depression? I think that many people would advise me against this. However, immersing myself in this relentlessly grim, gloomy, vicious and violent tale seems to have an unexpected effect. My own worries pale into insignificance as I read such a bloodthirsty book!

I think this second part of the trilogy was even better than the first. Another point of view character comes to the fore and this lends the reader a different perspective. Our hero continues to struggle with his nature but occasionally shows some dark humour. We are also given moments of hope amongst the relentless darkness and some great surprises.

The writing of this series is brilliant and the world building is excellent. I can’t wait to see how this all turns out!

View all my reviews

---

I am now reading the third part of the trilogy and, so far, it is just as good as the first two books. The big question is: what on earth do I read next? How can anything follow this amazing series?

Choices, choices!

Happy reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚