Morganville Vampires Series Book #12: Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

At the end of the last book, Claire and her friends were dealing with the affects of what the master draug – a water based vampire race that the other vamps are afraid of – had done their fellow vampire friends including the Founder Amelie. She was bitten by Magnus and is slowly becoming a draug. The race is on to kill Magnus before it is too late.

Just in case that wasn’t enough, Black Dawn also deals with Eve and Michael’s toxic relationship and how they’re dealing with the fallout from his attack on her at the end of the last book. They both know that he didn’t mean it, because he had been fed on by draug for days, but they both realize what he’s capable of now. You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me. Their just now realizing what Michael is capable of? Are you serious? He’s a freaking vampire! How could you not be aware of what Michael can do? This plot line of the Morganville books has been bugging me for a while. Sometimes it makes for a good laugh or ‘aw’ moments, but there are others where I can’t help but be like – you live with him, you sleep with him, and you seriously forget what he is?

Shane, Claire, and Myrinn also have their own drama as well. Claire is pissed off at Myrinn again because not only did he make her leave Shane behind during a mission – the draug were going to feed and kill him, but surprise he’s still alive – but he also used her as bait to lure Magnus to the Glass House. While Shane was captured though, the draug forced him to dream about the perfect life he’s always wanted but can never achieve. After he’s dragged out of the pool, he’s still dealing with what he saw and…man. Shane sometimes really needs a clue.

Miranda – Eve’s psychic friend who’s always helped the gang as much as she can – dies while helping Claire run from Magnus. Richard Morell – the mayor and only redeeming member of the Morell family – dies too. There aren’t a lot of humans that the gang can turn to to help them anymore. Sure, there’s Hannah the police chief but after what happened to Richard – who she was apparently in love with, who knew? – she might not be too keen to help them anytime soon.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. This book was good, really, it’s just that I’m getting tired of Amelie and Oliver’s game of power, Monica’s bitchiness, and Shane’s ‘I’m not good’ routine. However, it is going to be interesting to see what Amelie does now that she’s been to the brink of…whatever…and came back.

Bookshelf worthy? Electronic or support your local library!