As Shadows Fade (The Gardella Vampire Hunters, #5) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Dec 23, 2009 The Flooze rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vanquished_2009

A fitting end to an exciting series. As Victoria, Max, and Sebastian engage in their final battles, the tension is at an all-time high. Gleason's ability to switch between character perspectives with ease grants the reader an enlightening and thorough knowledge of everyone's emotions and motivations. We feel their anguish and confusion, their passion and panic as they deal with human, demonic, and vampiric temptations.

The end, though bittersweet in some ways, is also ultimately appropriate. For ...more

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Jan 05, 2010 Steph rated it it was amazing

Shelves: year-read-2010, author-웃, series-ended, series-i-love

*POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING: If you haven't read the other books in the series ... stop reading this and get readin' book 1, The Rest Falls Away!

As Shadows Fade takes place two weeks after When Twilight Burns left off. Two years have now passed since Victoria was informed by her great-aunt, Eustacia, that she was the next in their long family line of Venators, vampire hunters. So much has changed since then and now she has a problem that has nothing to do with vampires. Two weeks ago, in a fit *POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING: If you haven't read the other books in the series ... stop reading this and get readin' book 1, The Rest Falls Away!

As Shadows Fade takes place two weeks after When Twilight Burns left off. Two years have now passed since Victoria was informed by her great-aunt, Eustacia, that she was the next in their long family line of Venators, vampire hunters. So much has changed since then and now she has a problem that has nothing to do with vampires. Two weeks ago, in a fit of angry rambling, Max admitted that he loved Victoria. Since the day that Victoria got Max to kiss her, she's been drifting from Sebastian. Since Max's confession, she will do whatever it takes to get him to admit they belong together.

Wayren is taken ... demon portal is open ... Victoria and the Venators battle demons and Lilith in their final battle of the series. I don't want to leave any spoilers for those who are about to read this book, but I will say that several times I couldn't read fast enough because of "did that really just happen?!?!" moments, as with all the books in the series. I love that you never knew what was going to happen, you knew, from previous books in the series, that the author was willing to snatch away main characters. No one is safe.

O'Max!! Victoria confronts Max one last time, basically saying, "Now or never, Max" and as she's walking away from him, he says, "I've changed my mind ... and when we're finished, Victoria, you won't remember your own name ... let alone Vioget's." Oolala!

I've enjoyed that last several days, knowing that I had yet another Gardella book to jump into when I finished the one that I was currently reading. But, alas, the series is over and in the words of Victoria, "Damn and Blast!"

There is hope though, on Colleen Gleason's site she states "Now that the Gardella Vampire Chronicles are complete (at least for the time being), Colleen is working on a new historical vampire series.

In 2011 readers will meet a whole new world of vampires who mingle with the haute ton in 19th century London. Called the Draculia, these vampires are strong and sexy, and a match for any mortal...except for the women who love them." Two things: (1) she says "for the time being", maybe meaning that she might, at some point, take us back into the world of Victoria and her Venators and (2) maybe her new series will be just as entertaining a read.

[Format Read: eBook] ...more

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Oct 21, 2008 AmandaG rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, historical-romance, 2009, series

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

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Nov 04, 2009 Laura Lulu rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, vampires, paranormal-romance

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

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Oct 03, 2011 Crissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011, favorites

This was a great series! I am not usually a great fan of historical romance, paranormal or no...but this was just good, good stuff! I read through the whole series in less than a week. Every book had an unexpected turn, great action scenes, and some worth it romance. If you haven't gotten to this series, I suggest you move it to the top of your TBR list! ...more

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Nov 23, 2009 FlibBityFLooB rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2010, love-triangle, urban-fantasy-or-paranormal, era-regency-pre-victorian, vampires, historical-paranormal

4.5/5 stars. A very good series. Without spoiling, I am still in a toss-up about how it all ended. However, I am not unhappy about it. Just wish things could go differently the way my deranged head would have it ;)

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Oct 01, 2010 Angi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Such a wonderful end to the series - everything I wanted to happen (for the most part!) happened. Though, I can tell there will be a spin-off of sorts because the story isn't finished yet! ...more

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