Dawnbreaker (Dark Days, #3)

Oct 30, 2009 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, series-ongoing, series-i-love, author-웃

Rating is closer to 3 1/2 stars, but I rounded up since I'm feeling hopeful about the next book. I have no idea why though ...

This series is extremely frustrating, but I keep reading it. It's like watching a TV show where you want to two main characters to admit their feelings and ... get together already. But, they never do. Yet you keep watching, hoping, season after season getting more and more frustrated.

In the first book, Nightwalker, I didn't like Mira much at all. In the second book, Day ...more

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Dec 17, 2012 My Urban Fantasies rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-days

Originally published on my blog, My Urban Fantasies

The seal to the door is finally broken. Jabari orders Mira to return to the coven. Mira tells him no, that she's returning to Savannah, where she is needed, and that she will fight the naturi when the time comes. Mira also invites Danaus to come with her, claiming that it will be easier to kill him if she does not have to hunt him down. *smirk* Yeah, like any of us believe that's the reason Mira want Danaus with her.

Dawnbreaker starts roughly t...more Originally published on my blog, My Urban Fantasies

The seal to the door is finally broken. Jabari orders Mira to return to the coven. Mira tells him no, that she's returning to Savannah, where she is needed, and that she will fight the naturi when the time comes. Mira also invites Danaus to come with her, claiming that it will be easier to kill him if she does not have to hunt him down. *smirk* Yeah, like any of us believe that's the reason Mira want Danaus with her.

Dawnbreaker starts roughly two months after Dayhunter. Mira and Danaus had parted ways long before Mira reached Savannah. He flew with her from Crete, but got off the plane in Paris. Mira is now in Savannah and everything is not going as well as she had hoped. Ties with the local pack are becoming more strained due to the constant naturi attacks. The naturi are using the werewolves to attack the nightwalkers. The nightwalkers are forced to defend themselves usually resulting with dead werewolves. This leaves us with a less than happy Barrett. When Danaus arrives in Savannah the naturi attacks become worse.

Danaus decides to stay in Savannah. Mira is forced to make him swear he will not hunt another nightwalker while in her domain. Mira no longer trusts Danaus with vampire allies because he killed Penelope with little warning and no hesitation. Mira tells Danaus that she can not worry about protecting her people from him and the naturi. Eventually Mira and Danaus come to an understanding. If one of Mira's nightwalkers attacks Danaus, he can defend himself. If Danaus hunts any of the nightwalkers Mira will gut him and send his charred entrails back to Ryan in a doggie bag.

Along their journey the trust slowly begins to build again. Danaus is essentially Mira's only ally in that battle against the naturi. On the way to stop Rowe from opening the door, Danaus has to trust Mira like he never has before. The enemy are attacking and the only way for Danaus to stay alive is to be completely vulnerable and trust Mira to keep him safe, from the small army of naturi and a room full of nightwalkers.

Dawnbreaker is action packed, and beautifully written. The characters are evolving, I finally find myself becoming emotionally invested in them. Mira is quickly becoming my favorite character. It's amazing that she's not completely insane. If something bad can happen to Mira, it usually does. Mira's constantly confronting ghosts from her past, starting when she was human right up to the present. There seems to be a growing list of people who want to control Mira or just want her dead.

If you're expecting Mira and Danaus to grow a collective brain and realize they actually like each other and do not want to kill each other, you're going to be disappointed. Mira and Danaus do not hook up in this book. I have high hopes for future books though, mostly because I'm a romantic and refuse to believe they will be oblivious of their feelings forever.(less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Anita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This is the 3rd book in an excellent urban fantasy series. I'm really temped to give in a 5 star rating, but I don't know that it has that wide of an appeal. If you are a UF fan, this series is EXCELLENT. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, but not addicted enough to rush out and buy it today.

The herione is Myra, a vampire firestarter (the only one in existence), and she has a vampire hunter as a sort of uncomfortable partner (Danaus). They have gone through a lot togethe...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Sarah Barnard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like paranormal and I love urban fantasy, so this book with it's vampires, lycanthropes, other monsters and magic should have been a great read.

The plot has promise, the characters angsty enough to irritate while hoping they work themselves out in the end and the interplay between them is good too.

So, why just the 2 stars?

The editing. The edition I got from my local library reads like a first draft - rough and unpolished. It's riddled with spelling errors, typos and dreadful basic mistakes....more

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Aug 04, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a confession to make: I like urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Okay - I've said it. I'm almost embarrassed to say it, but it's true.

I've recently gotten into some of the wildly popular adult and young adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance novels (even of the mass market paperback type) because they are full of fun and are great means of escape. That doesn't mean that I think all these novels are good. In fact, since I've started to read so many, I have become even more critica...more I have a confession to make: I like urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Okay - I've said it. I'm almost embarrassed to say it, but it's true.

I've recently gotten into some of the wildly popular adult and young adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance novels (even of the mass market paperback type) because they are full of fun and are great means of escape. That doesn't mean that I think all these novels are good. In fact, since I've started to read so many, I have become even more critical as to which ones are worthwhile reads. Not all of them are great, or even good - really, most of them are mediocre. Dawnbreaker, the third book in Jocelyn Drake's Dark Days series, however, is one of the better ones that I've read recently. I wouldn't say that it's great, but it's definitely a notch above mediocre - and, of course, downright fun.

Dawnbreaker continues the adventures of Mira the nightwalker, a kind of ancient vampire and one-of-a-kind fire bender, as she battles the naturi, a kind of evil elf-like race. The naturi are gaining power and preparing a dangerous sacrifice that will unleash the entire race on the planet and lead to death and destruction. In order to stop the naturi, Mira desperately teams up with vampire-slayer Danaus (complete with climatic relationship tension) to capture a rogue naturi princess who claims she opposes her race's apocalyptic plans. With the princess's help, Mira and Danaus must prevent an apocalyptic summoning at Machu Picchu and save humanity.

Drake writes with an ease and understanding that pulls readers through the novel. I was completely enthralled by her unique and detailed world. Even though Drake does base her races on traditional fantasy/horror creatures (vampires and elves) she throws a fresh, much-needed twist into the mix that keeps readers wondering what they are going to do next. While Drake's world can sometimes feel a little confusing or is ill-explained, the overall feel of it is dark, different, and filled with fun, unique approaches to traditional fantasy icons. Plus, while this novel does include vampires, it's not your typical vampire romance story. Sure, there is a strong romance element between two unlikely allies who must team up to save the world, but there is not a hint of vampire angst or cliche vampire romance. In fact, the vampire element seems like it's minimized in Dawnbreaker, focusing more on the vampire-based nightwalker race that Drake created for her world.

Filled with fast-paced action, unique plot elements, and a vivid world, Dawnbreaker was a surprisingly fun and powerful read from start to finish. The characters deal with realistic, adult problems while balance feelings of unease and unexpected news of treason in the ranks. While Dawnbreaker had few witty one-liners (okay, I was hoping for more a la Rachel Morgan style), the dialog feels natural and easy for the characters.

The ending of Dawnbreaker feels like it could be the end for the entire series. Even though Drake does leave an opening for subsequent novels, all of the action that previous novels have been building up to end here (and in a rather satisfying way). While I'm not sure if I was intrigued enough to continue this series if there are more books, it's a great way to pass a lazy few hours or take some time out of a busy day to drift into another world.

Fans of Drake's Dark Days novels will eat this one up and beg for more. It's fun, fast-paced, filled with great action sequences and builds to an epic climax that blows the rest of the series out of the water. A great addition to any urban fantasy/paranormal romance fan's library. (less)

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Jul 15, 2010 jD rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1_library-yes, series_vamps, series_paranormal, magic_wide-range, magic_fae, magic_wizards-and-such

Okay, I know I said that if Mira and Danaus did not hook up in this book it would be the last one I read. Well...I have changed my mind about that. Mira's character is evolving and I am finding that I am cheering for her to remain independent. Everyone seems to want a piece of her except Tristan. Although they are not romanticly involved, it is the only relationship in her life that is good for her. Knox also seems to be a legit friend. Don't get me wrong, I love the character of Danaus but he h...more

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Oct 17, 2009 Janice (Janicu) rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. http://janicu.livejournal.com/86581.html

his review is for an ARC I received from EOS books

The Premise: This is the third Dark Days novel, narrated by Mira, a 600 year old vampire, known as the Fire Starter, the only nightwalker (aka vampire) with the power over fire. Mira is in the middle of a war between the nightwalkers and the naturi, a race of beings who think that all humans and nightwalkers should be eliminated to cleanse the earth. Mira's fight with the naturi has traversed the globe, fro...more http://janicu.livejournal.com/86581.html

his review is for an ARC I received from EOS books

The Premise: This is the third Dark Days novel, narrated by Mira, a 600 year old vampire, known as the Fire Starter, the only nightwalker (aka vampire) with the power over fire. Mira is in the middle of a war between the nightwalkers and the naturi, a race of beings who think that all humans and nightwalkers should be eliminated to cleanse the earth. Mira's fight with the naturi has traversed the globe, from her home in Savannah, to London, to Venice and back. Now things have progressed so that the naturi are about to break free out of the seal keeping most of them out of the world, but Mira is hellbent on stopping them.

**** There are minor spoilers for the past books from this point on ****

My Thoughts: I had very similar thoughts about this book as I did for the previous two, except I would say that this book has even more action. Dawnbreaker is like one of those blockbuster movies with plenty of fights and pyrotechnics (which makes for a quick read whenever I picked it up). The book starts off where Daywalker left off, with naturi pursuing Mira while she tries to stop them from breaking the seal that keeps most of their kind from returning to the world. By Mira's side are several people who we've been introduced to in the past couple of books. There's a lot of characters to keep track of, but I had no issues remembering who they were because of quick summaries of who is who exactly when I needed it. All of these people are under Mira's protection and she takes her job very seriously, but the bombardment from the naturi means Mira is a busy woman.

One of the people surrounding Mira is the vampire hunter Danaus who over the past couple of books has become something of a friend. Their relationship is an odd one. They have to work with each other because only Danaus is able to expand Mira's abilities, but they are natural enemies. This book is very much an urban fantasy because there is almost no romance, but there are hints that Danaus and Mira feel more for each other than they are willing to admit. These hints were *very* few and far between, and are about equal in number to the comments that one day Mira and Danaus will kill each other. They both seem able to understand one another in times of trouble, but Mira and Danaus have seen each other do things they didn't approve of. In any case, because this book was focused on the race to stop the naturi from re-entering the world, there was less time to delve into relationships as deeply as they were in previous books. Much of the interesting interactions happened in the last quarter of Dawnbreaker. I don't doubt we'll see more of that to come, both between Mira and Danaus, and between Mira and others, including the vampire Coven leaders, whose long term plans are hard to guess, and Mira's new vampire family. This book leaves us with some problems solved and other problems appearing (Mira's seat on the Coven, Danaus' identity, The Great Awakening). I can't wait to see how Mira and Danaus tackle them!

My family used to live there, so I have a very small nit about the Peruvian weather: Peru isn't far from the equator and the change of seasons is quite mild, so the description of the winter winds and seasons being the opposite of North America's isn't accurate. I'd say Cusco is only colder because of the altitude and there really is only a dry season and a rainy season, not four seasons.

Overall: Ramps up the non-stop action which is found in the first two books. This book continues with the same dark, Gothic undertones and epic scope. I love the complex relationships between characters which is sparingly doled out here, but I have no doubt they will come to the forefront again soon enough. There are a couple of juicy issues left for Mira and Danaus to tackle after this book, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.(less)

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Feb 11, 2010 Starling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, paranormal

Actually 3.5 stars. This is the last book in the first trilogy in this series. It ends with enough plot threads hanging that there is room for more books in the series but without a cliff hanger. That is why it is getting the extra half star.

I really don't like series with save the universe plots. Generally I get disappointed with the ending of series like that. They never live up to the tension built up during the series. I rather like the way this one was handled. Enough of an ending so you kn...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-days, urban-fantasy

The third installment of the Dark Days saga picks up a couple of months after the conclusion of Dayhunter . Mira has returned home to Savannah with Tristan in tow and she is ready to expand her vampire family to her favorite minions Knox and Amanda. But the naturi have no plans to let her live in peace. They’ve followed her back to the States and they’re trying to kill her before she stops their queen from returning to Earth. Vampire hunter Danaus comes back into her life, just in time to join h...more The third installment of the Dark Days saga picks up a couple of months after the conclusion of Dayhunter . Mira has returned home to Savannah with Tristan in tow and she is ready to expand her vampire family to her favorite minions Knox and Amanda. But the naturi have no plans to let her live in peace. They’ve followed her back to the States and they’re trying to kill her before she stops their queen from returning to Earth. Vampire hunter Danaus comes back into her life, just in time to join her for the latest big battle against the naturi… back in Machu Picchu, the same place where they tortured her all those years ago.

We don’t see much of the secondary characters featured heavily in the first two books. Tristan stays in Savannah during Mira’s trip. We don’t see Nico or Ryan. And we only get small cameos from Jabari and Sadira. But we do pick up some new faces, including Nia, the naturi princess, and Stefan, a vampire with aspirations to join the coven.

So here’s what I got out of this book: It really sucks to be Mira. She is proving time and time again that she’s a pretty stand-up gal. She takes her duty very seriously. She is willing to put herself in harm’s way to protect those she is loyal to. And she knows that her attempts to save humanity (and the nightcrawler race) will likely end in her death, and she does it anyway. But all this comes at great personal expense. Her mentor, Jebari, is a rat-bastard. Rowe, the naturi leading the effort to free the queen, relentlessly pursues her. And perhaps worst of all, she must acquiesce to being a puppet, to the whims of both Jebari and Danaus.

And speaking of Danaus. Why the hell can’t these two recognize what they have together? We see over and over, through Mira’s thoughts and actions that she cares deeply for Danaus. And he seems to have to remind himself that she is the enemy. These two need to get it on already… in a big way. Three books is plenty of time for me to wait. I definitely need some payoff. (And not just physically, by the way. These two have a deeper connection.)

So when all is said and done, we get our big battle, more reveals about what Danaus is, and big questions about the future of the naturi. And while the book may be over, there is obviously plenty of story left to go. 4 stars.

P.S. If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, you don’t want to start with this one. It won’t make sense and you won’t have the same investment in the characters. This is not meant to be a stand-alone. Trust me.

(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Gardavson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance, paranormal

Really well put together. It was really easy to jump into this series. The author writes really well, the flow is really nice, nothing awkward or stilted.

Ok. In this one Mia must prep and stop the naturi from opening the door, having failed to stop the breaking of the seal. Mia annoyed me mildly in this one. Well, she just lacked some of her compassion that she has been marked for, what has made her unique among the older nightwalkers. Up to now she's balanced being compassionate with still doi...more

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Nov 07, 2009 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

I found myself liking this book so much more than the others before it. I like the relationship that is brewing between Mira and Danaus. They definitely have a love / hate thing going. It does seem like the more time they spend around each other the more that they are the only ones that understand each other.

Mira seems to be surrounded by people that want her dead or just use her to their benefit, then kill her, which can't be good for a person's sanity. As she battles people on all fronts it is...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Angella rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a confession to make: I like urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Okay - I've said it. I'm almost embarrassed to say it, but it's true.

I've recently gotten into some of the wildly popular adult and young adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance novels (even of the mass market paperback type) because they are full of fun and are great means of escape. That doesn't mean that I think all these novels are good. In fact, since I've started to read so many, I have become even more critic...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Casey Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was almost a "the week after" book two. Not that that is bad, but it was definitely one you'd want to read after book 2, not as a stand-alone. Mira, the main character is still mopey and pretty self-centered. It was kind of boring to listen to her go over her issues and loneliness. She's supposed to be 600+ years old, maybe it's time to grow up. There are plenty of times where some maturity pops through, but overall she just sounds kind of tired and whiny. There are a lot of good actio...more

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Mar 11, 2010 Jennifer Chough rated it 4 of 5 stars

The cover of the next book implies that friggin' Mira and Danaus may actually hook up...finally...after 3 books. Enough tension for ya? I don't think I can take much more of the "You have to live so I can kill you later" shtick.

And if the author uses the phrase "...bonelessly rose from the..." one more time, I will throw the book away. Once a book is enough. 4 or 5 times in the same book means you aren't even paying attention to what you're writing.

Sounds like I don't even like the series, but...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Books2review rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The action was incredible as always. The insights into Mira keep growing but still mysteries abound about her. Why was she born a fire starter and now able to feel earth magic? Now she has a naturi ally, the race she is sworn to destroy. It is even hinted a couple of times that Danaus is secretly becoming enamored of her. Just what does he feel when the hunger is upon her that has him so flushed and breathing heavy too? And now they link is even stronger.. I keep waiting for Mira to become so se...more

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Oct 12, 2009 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance-urban-fantasy

She's back again. The naturia are getting closer to releasing their queen and Mira has to help stop them. Whether with her power with fire, Danuas the only person she can trust which is at odds with the pact to kill each other later, or being used as a weapon by the triad. She will have to face them at Machu Picchu or the place where all her nightmares were born.

Another great Dark Days book by Jocelyn Drake. We find out more about Danaus by some of his actions and the ever present attraction sti...more

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Oct 12, 2009 Krys rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, vampires, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, medium-length-book, monster-hunting, elven-dwarf-themed, series-i-love, autographed, series

Well, I'm not sure how Drake plans to finish this out. I know it's not done yet, but this felt like it was a bit of an end, like maybe, say, the end of the first trilogy. I'm not sure. But still, whoa. I dug it. I was really glad that she left it open ended enough that there will have to be more books, because I wasn't sure how she was going to cram all those resolved plotlines into the last 70 pages or so, but yes. Very open for another book, in fact, downright cavernous for another book.

I cou...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Krissie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 06, 2011 Kelsen Jacobs rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The action was incredible as always. The insights into Mira keep growing but still mysteries abound about her. Why was she born a fire starter and now able to feel earth magic? Now she has a naturi ally, the race she is sworn to destroy. It is even hinted a couple of times that Danaus is secretly becoming enamored of her. Just what does he feel when the hunger is upon her that has him so flushed and breathing heavy too? And now they link is even stronger.. I keep waiting for Mira to become so se...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, r-2010, series, fantasy, urban-fantasy

I still enjoy the world building in this series, the main character, Mira, is a vampire that can control fire and in this installment she learns to harness the power of the earth while fighting to keep the Naturi Queen out of the earth realm. I think the next in the series will decide if I keep reading or not however. The way Drake left it there are three factions of the Naturi now which could be really interesting and complicated or which could be used as convenient plot devices to get our hero...more

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Nov 10, 2009 Roger rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone that is up for urban vampire books

Shelves: young-adult-lit

My first Jocelynn Drake book was not a disappointment.

From the start, I was bathed in the new twist put on vampire mythology by Drake. Vampires in these books are referred to as "daywalkers" which strikes a similar parallel to the Blade movies. The name is the same, except the myth behind each is separate, yet interesting. In Drake's book, vampires are your traditional don't-go-outside-or-get-burned-to-a-cripsy-critter kinda monster. It is also duly noted that a spin on the vampire/werewolf cla...more

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Jul 01, 2010 Tricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Good: Dawnbreaker was a great read. I read through it quick since I wanted to see what would finally happen again at Machu Picchu with Mira now that she had Danaus fighting with her on her side. This book was heavy on the action and betrayal. But then some of the bonds that are ripped are fixed, and even some new friends are made for Mira. This book was more interesting compared to the first and second ones because of all the new magic ideas that are thrown into Mira's head.

The Bad: Dude, I...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Jordan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, alt-universe, magic, fey-fae-faery, mystery, scifi-fantasy, series, shapeshifters, paranormal-supernatural, suspense, vampire, witches

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 11, 2010 Jill Dunlop rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dawnbreaker is the third book in Jocelynn Drake's Dark Days series. Dawnbreaker is told in the first person point of view from the main character Mira, a centuries old vampire also known as the fire starter. She has a major battle coming up between herself and her unlikely partner Danaus against the Naturi, unearthly creatures that have been locked in captivity for years. If these Naturi were to escape, then vampires and humans alike would be in serious trouble, as the Naturi want to kill them a...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

(3.5 stars)

“And where does that leave us?” Jabari demanded.

To my surprise, a half smile tweaked one corner of her mouth as she looked from me to Jabari. “On hold.”

This bit of dialogue, taken from one of the final chapters of Dawnbreaker, sums up my experience with the Dark Days series a little too well.

There’s nothing wrong with Dawnbreaker. It’s a perfectly fine book. Jocelynn Drake's prose is competent and vivid, and there are several interesting surprises tucked into the storyline. Mira uncov...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Gemma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I'm not sure why, but I'd really convinced myself Dawnbreaker was going to answer many of the questions I had about this series. Instead, it left me more confused than ever and extremely annoyed.
Dark Days started out as an intriguing and original story, but now I find the bad things outweigh the good, and it seems the author is confused about where to take the story and characters.
My main beef with this series, like so many other's, is the 'will they, won't they' thing with Mira and Danaus. It's...more I'm not sure why, but I'd really convinced myself Dawnbreaker was going to answer many of the questions I had about this series. Instead, it left me more confused than ever and extremely annoyed.
Dark Days started out as an intriguing and original story, but now I find the bad things outweigh the good, and it seems the author is confused about where to take the story and characters.
My main beef with this series, like so many other's, is the 'will they, won't they' thing with Mira and Danaus. It's not like I want them to jump into bed together or anything, I would just like a little more clarity on their relationship. I think the author tried to make it a bit of a slow burner, but instead it's just annoying and confusing. Mira & Danaus have more of an emotional than a sexual connection, which is different, but makes it a little hard to see if it'll ever go anywhere. As it is, the whole storyline feels like a pesky fly I can't swat that detracts from the actually pretty decent plot.
I admired how the protagonist is a 600 year old female vamp - many people shy away from having it in the vamp's POV, since there would be too many memories & experiences I'd imagine. But Drake managed to make Mira relatable, though she does have her moments where I feel like I can't really connect to her. The majority of the characters are a little vague - that guy whose name begins with a J (sorry, bad memory) & even Danaus are all a little ambiguous. The world is dark and intriguing, and Drake really can write excellent fantasy - it's just the characters I feel that let her down a lot. Mira & Danaus seemed to really connect in the last book in particular, so to have them go back to the whole 'It's a shame I'll have to kill you when it's all over' line feels tiresome and repetitive.
Finishing Dawnbreaker left me feeling drained & fed up. There are still a ton of questions to be answered, and I just hope they won't be dragged out over many books as a money making ploy. Although I remember swearing never to touch another Dark Days book again, I think I'll read the next one, if only as a make-or-break for carrying on with the series.
I just hope that Drake pulls it together and sorts of the story, otherwise it'll be a sad waste to a potentially great series.
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Oct 13, 2009 Jael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires

I really enjoy this series. The story telling is excellent and so are the characters. I absolutely adore Danaus and I've really warmed up to Mira. However, I'm getting somewhat frustrated with this series. It's eerily reminding me of a Bones episode. Instead of a body being discovered, then, Bones and Booth solve the crime all the while having this great romantic tension/chemistry; you have Danaus and Mira fighting the Naturi thoughout the book. And of course the cliffhanger at the end of the bo...more

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Apr 01, 2010 Cindi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jocelynn Drake really captured my attention with the first Dark Days novel, Nightwalker, and has held it through this third book. By the end she left me waiting for book 4, even tho I thought a couple of times while reading that this should be a trilogy only. Why is Nora Roberts that only one who writes in trilogies these days? Sometimes I just wanna know the whole thing in three books, not have it go on forever.

Anyway, what struck me most while reading this book is that Ms. Drake intentionally...more

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Oct 16, 2009 Natasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've loved this series from book one. I bought each one on the day it was out and couldn't wait for each book to be released. Jocelynn Drake had a different take on a vampire story. I don't mean the vampire theory is too much different, but the story also has magic weres and a great plot.n The Protagonist is Mira a female vampire. I love the writing for this character and really took to Mira. It's not very ofter you find a female protagonist that is a vmapire in the first person.
Mira is strong,...more

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Dec 23, 2009 Tiffany Danner rated it 4 of 5 stars

My first reaction when I finished this book? “ARGH I FRICKIN HATE THIS SERIES”. But really I love it, i am just impatient and want answers NOW! Its like the TV show LOST – you want to boycott because it constantly makes you question what the hell is going on, but you can’t because its just too good to ignore! Dawnbreaker is another great installment in the Dark Days series.

Mira is nightwalker, but she is a nightwalker with a unique gift. She can control fire and uses it to her advantage whenever...more My first reaction when I finished this book? “ARGH I FRICKIN HATE THIS SERIES”. But really I love it, i am just impatient and want answers NOW! Its like the TV show LOST – you want to boycott because it constantly makes you question what the hell is going on, but you can’t because its just too good to ignore! Dawnbreaker is another great installment in the Dark Days series.

Mira is nightwalker, but she is a nightwalker with a unique gift. She can control fire and uses it to her advantage whenever she can. Mira is tasked with stopping a race of supernatural beings called the naturi from opening a portal that would allow them to cross into our world and destroy both humans and supernaturals.

Mira is not a character that is immediately likable. I read the first book and was a bit taken aback by her, but I have to admit she grows on you. She can be ruthless and violent. At 600 years old she knows what is necessary to protect herself and her people and is willing to do it without question. But she can also be sarcastic, funny, and protective of those she cares about or feels a duty to protect.

Mira’s unlikely partner in crime is a vampire hunter named Danaus. He is dark, dangerous, and deadly. The two call a tentative truce in book 1 in order to fight the naturi and it has carried throughout the series so far. Dawnbreaker gives us a tiny bit more insight into the relationship between Mira and Danaus. In between light hearted jokes about killing each other we get little hints that maybe these two feel for each other more than they are willing to admit. I certainly hope they do get it on soon…we could all use a little relief in the “will they/wont they” tension! When they do get together it is going to be good. I can’t image smex between Danaus and Mira as anything but rough and primal and all things yummy.

In Dawnbreaker the action starts immediately! The author wastes no time plunging Mira into danger and things never seem to slow down. The plot is dark and violent and it seems that someone is always bleeding. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, even the threat of my kids making a mess in the kitchen couldn’t pull me away! There were a couple spots where I felt like things skipped ahead or paragraphs were left out at the end of a chapter. Not enough to make it unreadable, but enough that I had to go back and page and make sure I hadn’t missed something.

My only other gripe is that for all the violence, I was still left feeling a tiny bit frustrated. I wanted more answers to questions about the developments in Mira’s powers over the last 2 books, as well as the relationship between her and Danaus. For being 384 pages long, the book seemed to end too quickly for me. There is resolution to the main story arc, but with that resolution comes so many new twists and turns. What lays ahead for Mira? What about Danaus? I guess its a good thing there are at least 6 books planned for the series!

Dawnbreaker is one of those great reads that has you loving it, cursing it, and finally scratching your head at all of the possibilities to come.(less)

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Dawnbreaker (Dark Days #3)

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