Christie's review: The Warrior Vampire by Kate Baxter

Title:The Warrior Vampire

Series: The Last True Vampire #2

Author: Kate Baxter

Release Date: December 1, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Cliffhanger: No

The vampire was built for sin, every inch of him tight and bulky with corded muscle. A killer, that much was apparent, and she couldn't help but wonder if his appetite for violence would rival his appetites for other...things.

A WOMAN SEDUCED

Naya Morales is no ordinary mortal. Born with a shaman's power, she has devoted her life to tracking down stolen magic—and punishing those who take it. But one fateful night, she follows the alluring call of a sensual magic that is too glorious to be true—and finds herself face to face with a stunningly handsome thief who is too magnificent to resist...

A VAMPIRE ENSLAVED

From the moment he sees her, Ronan knows Naya is his mate. Driven by a deep, almost mystical connection, he aches for her body, hungers for her blood, and swears their souls are anchored together. Naya refuses to believe the words of a vampire—or risk the wrath of her tribe. But when she tries to make Ronan her prisoner, neither chains of silver nor fires of hell can help her escape the truth: she is the one who's been captured...

I'm a new follower of this author, but judging from what I've read this year, I don't see that changing anytime soon. Kate Baxter is one of those authors that has an innate skill for creating a variety of well developed supernatural creatures and world that they live in. The Dhampirs, Vampires, Witches, and Shifters that she's introduced so far each have their own culture, distinct personalities and mannerisms that make them fly off the pages and come to life. PNR world building is not an easy task and I really feel as if she has a natural ability as a storyteller in this genre. The storyline in this series is a continuing one that has spanned both books without feeling as if it's stretched too thin or lacking imagination. And that's why I can comfortably say that she's firmly hooked me for the long haul until the end of the Last True Vampire series.

In this book, we have newly turned Vampire, Ronan's story. I knew there would be a certain amount of a forbidden quality to this couple after reading book one. In The Last True Vampire, we know that he gave his oath to be tied to Siobhan-a Dhampir who is against regenerating the vampire race. Because of his tie to her, he isn't able to physically be with another woman...or else he will burn from the inside out.

(Side note: this would be so useful if it were possible in real life. Cheating would be banished forever. You've got to appreciate this concept.)

This isn't the greatest vow to be bound to when you come across your true mate. The one who you're "tethered to". When a vampire finds his mate, he immediately feels the connection through this tether. There is no doubt, hesitation, or debate. She is the one, perfectly made for him in every way. This is the only time instalove works for me...because supernatural. That's why. It's magic, souls reconnecting, fate. It's paranormal so anything is possible.

It wasn't normal to want someone so badly. This went beyond obsession. It was a need that couldn't be sated.

I loved Ronan's complete surrender to her and his determination to convince her that she belonged to him. If she were a vampire, she'd be unable to deny the connection they have. But Ronan went and tethered himself to a witch.



She's part of a tribe of shifters. The men shift into animal form, and the women have magical powers and abilities. I have to say, this heroine really was another hit for me. Judging by these two books I've read, it seems like this author likes to write exceptional strong heroines which is a must for me as a reader. Naya is confident in herself and her power as a woman and a witch. In fact, Ronan is in awe of her abilities and even refers to her as a "goddess" a time or two. What's not to like about that?



Her tribe is like a family, one that wanders the globe, has a lifespan like immortals, and are very controlling and outdated with their traditions. Naya must find the courage to go against everything she was raised to believe in: to obey her elders. They would never sanctify a union between her and someone outside of her kind. But she's always been a bit of a rebel, and not afraid to judge for herself what is right and wrong. Even though she isn't convinced of their tether, she wouldn't mind taking him for a test drive.

The vampire was built for sin, every inch of him tight and bulky with corded muscle. A killer, that much was apparent, and she couldn't help but wonder if his appetite for violence would rival his appetites for other...things.

The main focus of this book was Ronan's race to find his sister who is very possibly in danger, solve the mystery of the evil that is entering humans and overtaking their bodies, and find out where the missing chunk of memory went in his mind. Because there's something very wrong about that time that he can't remember. I noticed that the conflict between the H/h came primarily from outside sources rather than between the two of them. Outside influences and the mysterious evil that they had to find and overcome.



I felt like this book was action packed, especially the beginning and the end. The middle slowed down in pace for me somewhat. I'm not sure if it was because it was lacking in any way, but it failed to capture my complete attention such as in the previous book. I enjoyed both characters, the chemistry was off the charts, though more of a slow burn for me than I had anticipated. Also, I felt that the conflict with Siobhan was stressed several times throughout the book and the resolution ended up being somewhat anticlimactic.

If you're looking for a great PNR series to get started on to really whet your appetite for more, I highly recommend this one. You have romance, action, suspense, and writing that is locked tight with no holes or discrepancies. Even though I still think TLTV holds the top spot for me, this one was well done and I can't wait to read the next installment.

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