4.25

I wish I had realized the fact that the 10th book has yet to be published. I try to avoid reading reviews, so as not to spoil books, so I had no idea there was supposed to be another until I finished this book. I love this series and it breaks my heart that the conclusion most likely won't ever be able to be brought to light. Sad way to (kind of) end a fantastic series.

Pretty standard stuff -- tweeny bopper paranormal romance, relatively minimal violence and no sex to speak of. Not great literature, but not dreadful. Fine for in-the-car listening-- memorable enough that when I listen to the next book in the series I remember the basics from previous ones, but not memorable enough for me to be able to write an individual review for each book months after I listened to them.

These seem to be getting worse the closer they get to the series climax. Thank goodness this is almost the last one.

I read this series as a young person and have re-read them a million times. It is a fabulous series. To give everyone some vague hope out there all L. J. Smith's books are being re-published in collections. So this may mean that the tenth book in the series will be released. Again, vague hope.

4.5 stars.

A half-shapeshifter, a witch, and a vampire walk into a mall...it sounds like the start of a bad joke but it's actually the start of this book which was anything but bad.

Keller is a half-shapeshifter, she and her two other friends/partners a witch and vampire, are a part of Circle Daybreak and are on the trail of the third Wild Power, Iliana Harman, who is also the lost Witch Child. The WP has been tracked down to a mall, however the Night World is also hot on the WP's trail.

A fight occurs between the agents CD and NW, while trying to protect the WP an unknown teenage boy, named Galen, gets involved and, to Keller's annoyance, won't go away. Nothing is going how Keller planned it, Iliana is freaking out and she's too soft, too sweet, and too ditzy to be of any use.

There is a prophecy that mentions the Witch Child and someone from the royal? shapeshifting family would be betrothed, form an alliance and bring the shapeshifters over to the side of Circle Daybreak, which help them when the apocaplyse comes. Turns out Galen is part of that shapeshifting family and is supposed to be betrothred to Iliana.

This becomes a problem when it's clear that Galen and Keller feel a pull toward one another. However both, despite the soulmate principle fight the urge and Keller continues to protect Iliana while Galen accepts that he will be promised to Iliana.

There's plenty of action in this installment. The group is almost always on the run or planning something and it keeps the plot and the story moving well. The romance is also well paced and it's there enough to feel the pain Galen and Keller feel being apart without it being at the forefront all the time.

At first I wasn't a huge fan of Iliana but there were little moments here and there where I could see that as I read I'd grow to like her. I liked Keller from the start, she was a character I was instantly with and behind. Galen is probably one of my top 3 least favorite males in the entire series but he's still a good character. Also loved the cast of characters surrounding these three, it was a great supporting team.

Well, my reread is officially complete. I've enjoyed reading the nine books that are currently out again, although a couple in the series haven't been great this has ended on a good note, so far we'll see when Strange Fate comes out if it's really a strong finish.

With Strange Fate continually being delayed who knows when we'll finally get that last installment. I've been expecting SF for the last four or five years, ever since LJS's books were being reissued. However I will happily read it whenever it does come out.

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Top 3 Favorite Books in the series
1. [b:Huntress|293972|Huntress (Night World, #7)|L.J. Smith|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349789835s/293972.jpg|21427790]
2. [b:Secret Vampire|395873|Secret Vampire (Night World, #1)|L.J. Smith|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1218045708s/395873.jpg|385370]
3. [b:Soulmate|293979|Soulmate (Night World, #6)|L.J. Smith|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349790015s/293979.jpg|285260]

I loved this book. Keller, Ilianana and Galen were brilliant. Iliana ||really suprised me in the end, when she sets her mind on something she really doesn't hesitate, she was so brave||. Galen was not quite as strong a character as the girls but ||the sacrifice he made was so immense||. Keller reminded me a little of Jez, such a jaded outlook for life, like her though all she needed was people there for her who could pull her into the light. ||The Dragon suprised me, I was endlessly on the lookout for one of the characters having a pet or something, I didn't even consider he could become a human||. The only problem I had with this book is that it in no way finishes off the series and currently while I'm writing this book 10 has not been released, its been over 20 years and while there has been a rumor of one as long as I can remember it still means I can't currently find out how the series ends.

Revisiting my teenage favorite. Listening to it as an audiobook is weird and interesting. It's funny how much I remember word for word!

3.5 STARS

"Keller is a black panther. She will do whatever it takes to survive. Keller meets her match when she’s hired to protect Iliana Harman, a blond ditz whose only concerns are clothes, boys, and parties. Can Iliana be the legendary Witch Child, one who can fend off the end of the world? Galen, the gorgeous boy destined to be the Witch Child’s soulmate, and Keller are falling in love, but it’s a love that will destroy everything. Keller knows she has to give him up — but her heart won’t listen.

Meanwhile, the Night World is closing in, to kill all three of them." (From Amazon)

A great paranormal romance series. For fans of Twilight and Christopher Pike.