~REVIEW of Lara Adrian's SHADES OF MIDNIGHT~

Shades of Midnight (Midnight Breed, #7)

SHADES OF MIDNIGHT is book 7 from the Midnight Breed series which I’ve followed from the beginning and for the most part really enjoyed. You can always count on yummy and tortured alpha male heroes, steamy romance and exciting action filled paranormal storylines. Adrian has built a great Vampire world here that always reminds me of a vanilla-fied version of Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. Unlike Ward though each instalment continues to be either hit or miss for me and I’m never really sure going in which one I’m going to get.

With this instalment we travel to the snow, cold and almost perpetual darkness of Harmony Alaska, focusing on newer Breed member Kade and his strong and independent breedmate to be, bush pilot Alexandra. I loved the setting; with its remote settlements, small town characters, wolves, snow mobile action scenes and death deifying single engine flights. You could almost feel your breath freezing and the snow crunching beneath your boots. I think that this could easily be read as a stand alone too as it steps away from the previous story arcs and main breed characters. (They do make a small appearance however and Hunter in particular intrigued me) Lara Adrian has also given the rules to her vampire world and filled in an relative back story, so you won’t ever be lost.

After a rather gruesome prologue we join Alexandra Maguire and her wolf dog Luna as they fly to one of the remote settlements on her supply route. What she comes across when she arrives is horrific. Someone or something has slaughtered the entire Tom family, reminding Alex of the unspeakable events from her childhood that’s kept her running and pretending ever since.

Back in Boston at the Breed compound word of the attack has reached the ranks of the Order. Little known member Kade is sent to investigate, having been born and raised in Alaska he’s the logical choice and the only one truly comfortable in the cold. What the Order doesn’t know however is that Kade’s twin brother could be the one responsible for the murders. But if anyone remembers what happened at the end of ASHES OF MIDNIGHT you’ll also know that the Order has even bigger problems in the form of one roving and unrestrained Generation One warrior.

So for me this was just an okay read. Nothing special or remarkable happened that added to the series as a whole, there were few surprises and the romance was quick, trouble free and lukewarm at best. I never really felt any connection to or between Kade and Alex and in the end came away not feeling much of anything with a romance and story that I’ll soon forget. Nonetheless I will continue to recommend this series and be looking for the next addition TAKEN BY MIDNIGHT as soon as it hit’s the shelves. Cheers!

"Do you… do this often?"
"Get naked with sexy Alaskan bush pilots in the middle of the frozen wilderness?"
He paused for a minute "Nope, this was a first time for me"