Friday, September 23, 2011

Book Review - Crossroads by Jeanne C Stein

Crossroads is the seventh installment in the Anna Strong Chronicles by Jeanne C. Stein. For Anna, it has been two months since she was named the Chosen one, or the leader of the 13 vampire tribes as well as the person destined to resist the dark forces in the vampire community that seeks to dominate mankind and make them food sources only.

Anna has to face several new challenges including the arrival of Detective Harris of the San Diego PD who is looking into Police Chief Warren Williams’s death. He goes on to tell Anna that they have found some startling new information that just doesn’t make any sense. Of course, Anna, being the last person to see Williams alive, and knows what really happened, is a prime candidate for Detective Harris’s investigation.

The second challenge comes after Anna is approached by her former lover Max, a DEA agent who she hasn’t seen in 8 months. Max asks for her assistance in what he believes is a vampire killing illegal aliens crossing into the US. Anna, while weary and still angry at Max for dismissing her so easily after discovering she was a vampire, agrees to help. It seems however, that the ploy was set in motion by Anna’s direct challenger Chael who has some interesting information for Anna.

That, of course, is the third challenge since Chael has thrown out an interesting concept in that he can lead Anna to her heart’s desire; to revert back to being human once again, and living life away from the supernatural community and thus putting her family and friends out of danger. Chael claims that there is a Native American shaman who has the capability of bringing the dead back to life.

Of course, anyone including Anna, knows that Chael only wants the moniker of Chosen one and doesn’t care who he has to hurt in order to gain his goals. Chael is one of those vampires who wish to relegate humans to nothing more than fodder, and an expendable food source doing their masters, the vampires, bidding.

The last challenge is Anna’s reunion with Daniel Frey, the panther shape shifter who is also the Keeper of the Secrets for the supernatural community and their travels to the Navajo Indian lands in Arizona where we learn a little more about Frey's background. Frey, who has been with Anna from the beginning of her change into a vampire, was a welcome addition back to the story that has seen Anna suffer so much since becoming a vampire.

Crossroads is an interesting name for this book since Anna has to make more difficult choices that can either lead her back to her mortality, or continue on as the protector and soldier for goodness within the vampire community. The ending itself, was as expected with Anna going one way, and her only real friend in the world going another. I'm not sure in what direction this series is heading, but I will definitely look forward to seeing where Anna goes from here.

Title: Crossroads
Author: Jeanne C. Stein
Release Date:  August 30, 2011
Genres: Urban Fantasy

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