Title: Vanquished
Author(s): Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 28th 2012
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads
Quick Review: Following the “globetrotting supernatural adventure” (Publishers Weekly) of Damned, the riveting conclusion to the Crusade trilogy pushes the power of love to its limits.
Hope is in short supply, but courage runs deep as the Salamancan hunters recover from a devastating loss. Jenn knows she must rally her team against the Cursed Ones, but her focus is shattered. She’s torn between passion for Antonio, who once fought by her side, and hate for the bloodthirsty vampire he’s become. His volatility is tearing apart their team...and Jenn’s trust.
As the Cursed Ones amass new strength, Team Salamanca must strike together if they hope to survive, let alone defend humanity. Jenn wants to believe Antonio’s loyal to their cause—and their love—but she’s slowly losing her heart to Resistance fighter Noah. And if Antonio’s not careful, he may just end up with a stake in his.
This gripping conclusion to an epic trilogy pairs steamy romance with heart-stopping action, and delivers an ending as dramatic as it is unexpected.
Detailed Review: * Start of the book, I was completely hooked! The book is split off with Team Salamanca and other characters from the book.
BOOK ONE - It starts off with Skye, a White Witch who has been captured by her ex, Estefan who is a Dark Witch. She convinces him by using memories of Holgar, the Danish werewolf and her. And next thing you know, Estefan goes crazy... He was totally jealous and Skye got away. Met her family, done that. But the saddest thing is that Skye's family threw her out! I mean, how can you treat your daughter like that eventhough she broke all the rules especially the worst one! I mean...! Any way Skye tries to find a way as she meets another Witch Coven where they took her in.
In the meantime with Team Salamanca, Jenn and her teammates gear up. They decide to split up and at the same time Jenn and Antonio can't seem to look at each other. I was completely disappointed because I was like 'What are you doing? You've only a few minutes or even seconds to live, and your not even talking to each other?!?' I was practically jumping around the room as the story continues and one of the teammates called Jamie, an Irishman finds Skye. They are soon reunited.
At the same time, Jenn, Antonio and Holgar have gone to a place hidden away. Holgar meets other werewolves who are trying to kill them. Following into a scene where Antonio is draining Jenn's blood. Aha! Antonio's a vampire.
'"Hey!" he shouted, because he shouldn't call out their names. "Hey!"
There was no answer. He tried the latch. It was locked. He pounded once, then threw himself against the door as hard as he could. No good; he tried again. This time it gave.
He burst across the threshold to find Antonio with his fangs sunk into Jenn's neck. She was struggling against him, but he had both her hands in one of his, stretched above her head.
So much blood. Dear God, Jenn-
With a roar he tackled Antonio, and they rolled together away from Jenn. Holgar hit Antonio in the face as hard as he could, then whirled around, scooped up Jenn in his arms, and bolted for the doorway into the sunlight. The blessed sunlight.'
BOOK TWO - I felt really excited. Now, the real start was beginning. We find Noah, a teammate who went to a secret place, which was not so secret and met Michael Sherman, a scientist but now a vampire who has still kept his goodness eventhough he says he hasn't. The story was completely fluid, easy to read eventhough the characters were jumping about. The scientist confronts that he made an airborne virus that can kill vamps.
Noah leaves.
During the book, it also shifts to Aurora, the soon to be vampire queen with her sire. A sire is someone who made you a vampire and her sire is called LUCIFER! I thought Lucifer was the devil but instead he was actually a vampire. Back to Jamie and Skye, they have a run in with Estefan all over again.
'The room around Skye and Jamie erupted in flames. Beneath her feet Skye could hear the startled screams of the other patrons of the inn as fire engulfed the entire building in one blinding moment.
"Where are they?" Jamie roared, his voice barely audible over the crack and whoosh of the flames.
They were trapped with no way out. Once more Estefan was calling the shots, herding them in the direction he wanted to go.
And this time he was killing innocent people. People Skye realized she couldn't save. She grabbed hold of Jamie's arm and yanked him toward the window. Before they reached it, she lifted her other hand and exploded the glass outward. She shoved Jamie halfway through it.
"We can't jump. It's four stories down!" he shouted.
An explosion rocked the ground, and she could feel the floorboards starting to give way beneath them. Heat and smoke rushed up toward them both.
"No choice!" She screamed. She hit him low, hard enough to throw him off balance and to send him toppling through the window with a shout of terror.'
So... Antonio tries to push his hunger away and he meets Jenn again!
BOOK THREE - Antonio gets captured.
Jenn's worried out of her mind.
Noah's falling in love with Jenn and dying in the end, thinking about his wife.
Holgar learns how to shift on his own.
They have the FINAL BATTLE. Guess what?
Jenn's sister, Heather, the girl who became a vampire, she killed Aurora and became the new vampire queen but was killed by her own FATHER! Poor guy. He had to kill his own evil daughter yet he too was ruining the world with another vampire called Soloman. Antonio finally escapes and meets Dr. Sherman, who tells him about the virus. Antonio quickly finds the battle and Jenn is dying.
They help her and Antonio drinks some kind of elixir and survives the virus! He became HUMAN. Happily ever after, Jenn and Antonio marries secretly and then Skye and Holgar marry next!!!! I was so happy! I can't believe Antonio became human. In the meantime, we learn about Father Juan's secret.
Father Juan is Saint John of The Cross. He gets reborn if there is terrible trouble in the world. I couldn't believe it at first but it finally made sense so yeah...
'"That's true," Jenn said, as Antonio brought here something to drink. Antonio, in the sunlight. Jamie was floored. He'd never dreamed he'd see such a thing. He couldn't help his lopsided grin. It was hard to stay sour when there was so much happiness in the air.'
Brief Review: 'Start, ending? I love it ALL. I was hooked on the book, it's fluid changes and the characters! Jenn was my favourite. She was a fighter and a solid gold heart even with the shadows lurking inside of her. Now to add to my all-time favourites.'
My Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
Your Reviewer:
*Don't forget to read the first two books if you don't understand this*
