Crusade was a book that originally ended up on my TBR list because of the cover. It was so full of promises of dark action and adventure that I immediately wanted to know what it was about. The blurb made me even more curious and when a copy landed in my mailbox last year I knew I'd get to it sooner rather than later. It didn't disappoint - the characters, the writing, the suspence and the action kept the story going and me glued to the book for a full two days. The premise of vampires revealing their existence to the world, forming alliances with humans under false pretenses and then taking over was new to me and the idea of teens from all over the world learning to fight them at specialized academies seemed like a pretty cool counterweight and I liked the way it was executed.
Crusade packs an interesting cast of characters and in a series of flashbacks tells a bit about them. There's a witch, a werewolf, a devout Catholic vampire, an IRA fighter, a wannabe samurai, a priest who's got more secrets than all of them put together and those are the good guys. Holder and Viguié are very gradual with the revelations and by the time the novel ends it's clear that we don't know the half of it. That's actually one of the things that dampened my enthusiasm - you usually expect that by the end of the last chapter there'd be a resolution of sorts but here at the end of the book things are just getting started. Not a bad thing for a series of course, but I guess I expected more of an "ending" than a minor lull in action.
I'm not usually a fan of extensive flashbacks because they tend to slow down the action but here they were actually very effective at making the characters more real. Through their past we get a better sense of who they are which is great because they are secretive with each other and without these insights they'd be a lot more one-dimensional, which is never a good thing.
Another thing I didn't particularly enjoy was the angsty vampire and the much-heard/seen/read "I love her so much but we can't be together because I'm no good". Come on people, there are only so many ways this sort of thing can be spun and seems like they've all been done. And here's another thought - why not make the girl the dangerous one, the one who has to hold back? Why is it always the guy?
I liked the writing and the way things developed. The dialogue flowed well, every character had a unique voice and there was just enough suspence to keep me guessing as to the identity of the possible traitor in the midst of the Hunters. I think I know where things are heading but then again the authors have planted enough false clues to keep things interesting.
It was refreshing to see vampires as the bad guys and here they are very bad guys. Cunning, cruel, crafty and murderous. Sunlight and holy water hurt them and a stake through the heart is a sure way to get rid of one. (I can hear the Twilight haters cheering.) There's also black magic, warewolves allied with the vampires and humans ready to betray their own kind so this book is pretty juicy and it sets up the scene well for an even jucier sequel, which by the way is already out so look for Damned if you like this first book in the series. I sure will be looking it up at the library.
Crusade packs an interesting cast of characters and in a series of flashbacks tells a bit about them. There's a witch, a werewolf, a devout Catholic vampire, an IRA fighter, a wannabe samurai, a priest who's got more secrets than all of them put together and those are the good guys. Holder and Viguié are very gradual with the revelations and by the time the novel ends it's clear that we don't know the half of it. That's actually one of the things that dampened my enthusiasm - you usually expect that by the end of the last chapter there'd be a resolution of sorts but here at the end of the book things are just getting started. Not a bad thing for a series of course, but I guess I expected more of an "ending" than a minor lull in action.
I'm not usually a fan of extensive flashbacks because they tend to slow down the action but here they were actually very effective at making the characters more real. Through their past we get a better sense of who they are which is great because they are secretive with each other and without these insights they'd be a lot more one-dimensional, which is never a good thing.
Another thing I didn't particularly enjoy was the angsty vampire and the much-heard/seen/read "I love her so much but we can't be together because I'm no good". Come on people, there are only so many ways this sort of thing can be spun and seems like they've all been done. And here's another thought - why not make the girl the dangerous one, the one who has to hold back? Why is it always the guy?
I liked the writing and the way things developed. The dialogue flowed well, every character had a unique voice and there was just enough suspence to keep me guessing as to the identity of the possible traitor in the midst of the Hunters. I think I know where things are heading but then again the authors have planted enough false clues to keep things interesting.
It was refreshing to see vampires as the bad guys and here they are very bad guys. Cunning, cruel, crafty and murderous. Sunlight and holy water hurt them and a stake through the heart is a sure way to get rid of one. (I can hear the Twilight haters cheering.) There's also black magic, warewolves allied with the vampires and humans ready to betray their own kind so this book is pretty juicy and it sets up the scene well for an even jucier sequel, which by the way is already out so look for Damned if you like this first book in the series. I sure will be looking it up at the library.
Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com
Jenn Leitner is a vampire hunter, so it seems natural that she would fall for fellow vampire hunter and partner, Antonio. The two teens have been commissioned by Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones, where they are training to join the battle against an evil force that is trying to take over the world.
When Jenn is called home from school, however, she must face not only the unexpected presence of the Cursed Ones in San Francisco, her home city, but she is also thrust into the midst of family conflicts that will change her life forever. Betrayal, fear, and doubt vie with each other to undermine Jenn's self-confidence and her relationships with those who should care most for her.
Holder and Viguie, authors of the WICKED series and several other titles, add interest to this tale by using a limited omniscient narrator combined with snippets of Jenn's diary to focus the story around the protagonist's struggles. CRUSADE is an interesting and well-developed story that challenges readers to look below the surface to discover what is really important.
This is a vampire-licious addition to the paranormal craze for teen readers.
Jenn Leitner is a vampire hunter, so it seems natural that she would fall for fellow vampire hunter and partner, Antonio. The two teens have been commissioned by Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones, where they are training to join the battle against an evil force that is trying to take over the world.
When Jenn is called home from school, however, she must face not only the unexpected presence of the Cursed Ones in San Francisco, her home city, but she is also thrust into the midst of family conflicts that will change her life forever. Betrayal, fear, and doubt vie with each other to undermine Jenn's self-confidence and her relationships with those who should care most for her.
Holder and Viguie, authors of the WICKED series and several other titles, add interest to this tale by using a limited omniscient narrator combined with snippets of Jenn's diary to focus the story around the protagonist's struggles. CRUSADE is an interesting and well-developed story that challenges readers to look below the surface to discover what is really important.
This is a vampire-licious addition to the paranormal craze for teen readers.
The Cursed Ones have come out, under the leadership of Solomon, and at first the proclaimed that they only wanted peace. But as time goes by, they start taking over and creating strongholds. Most countries have succumbed but others are training hunters and fighting back.
Father Juan has put together a very unique group to help defend humanity against The Cursed Ones. Normally a hunter hunts along but Father Juan is determined to change that. The members of Team Salamanca consist of Jenn and Antonio, Skye and Holgar, and Eriko and Jamie. Each have their own uniqueness that brings strengths to the team but it also brings weaknesses. Jenn is human and chose to train as a hunter against her familys wishes. She is teamed up with Antonio, a Cursed One but one that is unique and fights on the side of good (swoon worthy!!). They are an item and are deeply in love with each other. Antonio fights every day with his evil side and unfortunately Jenn makes it harder for him to control that side. Skye is a powerful white witch with a few secrets of her own. Her partner is Holgar, a Dutch werewolf. Jamie, human also, the troublemaker of the group hates all non-humans and lumps Antonio and Holgar into the monster category even though they help fight the evil. His jabs against them at times are hilarious mainly because Holgar jabs right back. Jamies infatuation is Eriko, the leader and chosen Hunter. Eriko has a tough time keeping this group together. She is unsure how to juggle the team members and make them into a cohesive unit. If she doesnt get her act together she will lose and so will everyone else.
Crusade
Crusade focuses on Jenn and her struggle with her family to accept her. She must return home for a funeral only to find that her father has betrayed her to Aurora, an evil vampire who is looking to take over Solomons rule. Now Aurora has kidnapped her sister and she must save her. To do that she must travel to New Orleans and she also needs her team to come together.
Crusade contains lots of action and struggles within each of the characters. I was just fascinated and did not want to put this book down! Definitely looking forward to the second book, Damned, and I highly recommend this one to all YA fantasy lovers!
Father Juan has put together a very unique group to help defend humanity against The Cursed Ones. Normally a hunter hunts along but Father Juan is determined to change that. The members of Team Salamanca consist of Jenn and Antonio, Skye and Holgar, and Eriko and Jamie. Each have their own uniqueness that brings strengths to the team but it also brings weaknesses. Jenn is human and chose to train as a hunter against her familys wishes. She is teamed up with Antonio, a Cursed One but one that is unique and fights on the side of good (swoon worthy!!). They are an item and are deeply in love with each other. Antonio fights every day with his evil side and unfortunately Jenn makes it harder for him to control that side. Skye is a powerful white witch with a few secrets of her own. Her partner is Holgar, a Dutch werewolf. Jamie, human also, the troublemaker of the group hates all non-humans and lumps Antonio and Holgar into the monster category even though they help fight the evil. His jabs against them at times are hilarious mainly because Holgar jabs right back. Jamies infatuation is Eriko, the leader and chosen Hunter. Eriko has a tough time keeping this group together. She is unsure how to juggle the team members and make them into a cohesive unit. If she doesnt get her act together she will lose and so will everyone else.
Crusade
Crusade focuses on Jenn and her struggle with her family to accept her. She must return home for a funeral only to find that her father has betrayed her to Aurora, an evil vampire who is looking to take over Solomons rule. Now Aurora has kidnapped her sister and she must save her. To do that she must travel to New Orleans and she also needs her team to come together.
Crusade contains lots of action and struggles within each of the characters. I was just fascinated and did not want to put this book down! Definitely looking forward to the second book, Damned, and I highly recommend this one to all YA fantasy lovers!
