Jennifer Armintrout, Ashes To Ashes

Ashes To Ashes

Jennifer Armintrout

Mira, Aug 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 9780778324942

When the evil Cyrus turned Dr. Carrie Ames into a vampire, her only concern was her next bloody meal; she eventually killed her vampiric sire, but was adopted by vampire Nathan Grant (see THE TURNING). However when Nathan becomes possessed and kills humans, Carrie sets out to save his soul. In her efforts to do so, Carrie finds Cyrus alive but human. She allows Cyrus's beloved to die and awakens the most ancient vampire known, the Oracle (see THE POSSESSION).

Whereas Nathan runs away in horror now that he knows what evil he did when possessed, Carrie learns that the Oracle has destroyed the headquarters of the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement located in France. She fears that the Oracle will team up with Cyrus's demented father, the Soul Eater to change the world into a demonic heaven. Although still a vampiric neophyte holding her nose while drinking blood, Carrie believes she must save the world with her only card being Cyrus, who loathes her for allowing vampires to kill his beloved.

ASHES TO ASHES continues the heroic escapades of Carrie as she struggles to save the world. The story line is fast-paced, but to better understand the interrelationships, newcomers need to read the first two Blood Ties books. Carrie is ironic, wry, and fatalistic as she gives a first person account of deadly events including the blood and gore that seems to engulf her as she battles a centuries old vampiress, a near deity, and a dead vampire returned from the grave human; all she wants is to share bites with Nathan who may have gone off the deep end with the guilt of those innocents he killed when possessed.

Harriet Klausner