Postcard For Reader

Crusade

Crusade
Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Series: The Cursed Ones (#1)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
How Received: publisher ARC
Any quotes seen may be different in the final, published version.

For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.

Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated—and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose.

Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself—and her heart.
Buy | Borrow | Brush Off
I honestly don't know if I liked or disliked this. My thoughts upon finishing it are similar to those I had after finishing Holly Black's White Cat - the world, and the plot, are very well crafted.

But the characters, the characters!

Let's start with our main character, Jenn. She seemed fine at first. A bit distracted by her shiny vampire boyfriend, Antonio and a little bit stressed because she didn't move quickly enough to kill a vampire.

And then she becomes Bella Swann. I mean, Jenn is still MUCH better than our lovely girl from Twilight. Jenn can fight; Bella falls down. Jenn's trying to save her asthmatic sister; Bella... falls down.

But they're both so damn DREARY and DEPRESSING. Jenn cries throughout the entire book. To be honest, that's all I remember her doing. And you know what? She knows that's all she's doing!

... and she shut back her eyes tightly to hold back fresh tears. She was mortified. All she did these days was cry.

And then we have Antonio. Who is Edward Cullen, but better. (I apologize for the Twilight references, but they're the best I can do.) Antonio is a classic vampire, at least - he wants to eat Jenn (but so does Edward) and he burns in the sun, has fangs, can't live on animal blood, etc.

But the boy is training to be a PRIEST. And he's constantly watching Jenn as she sleeps, and thinking about sacrificing himself for her. Thinking he should leave to protect her.

WTF!?

And then we have Skye, who in my opinion is far more interesting than either Jenn or Antonio, but is also too stupid to live. I mean, yes, you're all witchy-with-a-bad-background. But if somebody bad in your past is stalking you and screwing with your entire team and mission, do you REALLY think that they're going to hate you because you didn't tell them before? Just TELL them so you can BEAT them, damn it!

Honestly? The best character in this entire story is Aurora, the villainous vampire. She's bitchy, controlling, plays with her prey, and knows how to get what she wants. I LIKE her.

This is followed by Jamie and Holjar, who made me struggle through my hatred of Antonio and Jenn. They're entertaining.

They're the only truly decent characters.

But the plot is good. And the world is good. And that's that.

Final Rating & Overall Review: 5/10. Good plot, good world, characters too stupid to live.