Eternal Sin : Mark of the Vampire

I am a HUGE fan of both Laura Wright AND Tavia Gilbert, so it comes as no surprise that this book was frickin' awesome. The creative thought, the cultures she has built, the mythology that has been developed and the sheer scope of the Mark of the Vampire series just blows my mind. I mean, really! I can almost wrap my head around thinking of the stories but the detail of these cultures is borne of a mind that obviously cannot sit still. Synjon Wise is a terrific character that we'd met in earlier books and it was so obvious this guy needed his own book...and BOY did he get it. Petra's story is likewise one of growth, passion and love. Woven throughout all of these books are the substantially developed characters, the challenge of being redeemed and the power of commitment. Usually not fond of shape-shifters, I found myself really drawn the the Rainforest culture and, damn if I didn't want to be one.

The dilemma that Petra and Synjon find themselves in was set up in the previous book and brought to a climax (pun intended) in this one. Synjon loves Petra, Synjon hates Cruen (for good reason) and wants to kill him. Petra loves Synjon and carries his child, Petra also loves (or thinks she does) her father, Cruen. Therein lies the awful trials for these two.

I won't go into further detail about the story as it is intricate and deserves more than I could possibly give. Suffice it to say, it's wonderful.

Of ALL the wonderfully worded (and spoken) scenes, the one that absolutely stole my heart was "the little piano". You'll have to listen to this book to get that one...it was priceless.

The audio of a book is so driven by the narrator...they can make or break it. Tavia Gilbert never disappoints and when I see she is a narrator, I know I'll be pleased and not rolling my eyes at a pathetic accent or lack of passion/intonation. She gets it and gets it right. It appears that the authors rarely have input into who reads their stories, so thanks audible for having Ms. Gilbert read this whole series. It's not often a woman can 'do' both male and female voices with any sense of credibility but Ms. Gilbert most assuredly does.

If you want a great listen, one that adds yet another dimension to a multi-dimensional series, don't miss this one. It helps to listen/read these in order. I prefer to read first and then listen...the depth just gets deeper. Thanks Ms. Wright and Thank Ms. Gilbert. YAY Y'ALL!

loved it, couldn't stop listening... can't wait for the next book.. going to be so good!