Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Reviews

Book Review: Almost Final Curtain

By Sandy Amazeen Apr 21, 2011, 2:27 GMT

With her pale complexion and mismatched eyes, Anastasija Parker knew trying out for the high school production of My Fair Lady was a long shot but then, that really is the least of her problems. Her unusual heritage as half-witch, half vampire and a vampire princess means Ana has plenty of responsibilities, most of which she barely comprehends. Betrothed to Elias, an ancient and honorable member of her father’s royal guards, Ana is also the girlfriend of the uber hot musician Nikolai Kirov, an apprentice vampire hunter who must make a kill to pass his apprenticeship exam. Considering Elias is Nikolai’s main target and Ana is half vampire, this creates plenty of relationship difficulties.

As Ana struggles with pop quizzes and a breakup with Nikolai there are bigger problems afoot when the talisman used by the witches to create and enslave vampires centuries earlier has resurfaced only to vanish again. With the talisman, witches could once again subjugate the vampires, reducing them to mere chattel, a fate the vampires are understandably unwilling to face. With the clock ticking, the vampires’ future is in Ana’s hands but can she tap into her witch half and use it to close the door on a life of servitude before it’s too late.

Book two of the Vampire Princess series spends a lot of time on Ana’s attempts to cope with her complicated love life and finding a balance between being a vampire princess and a witch who failed her initiation test. Ana’s blasé attitude toward her mother’s unexplained absences is something of a surprise considering how controlling the witch queen typically is. This light, entertaining read is refreshingly free of the usual soul wrenching angst found in many teen oriented series and focuses on delivering an enjoyable, fast-paced adventure that will leave readers looking for more.